Safe in Silence
by LowLevelMidge
Summary: About a muggle girl and her place in the world if Voldie had won. I was sort of wondering what would happen to regular people so I gave it a go. Its a little bit nasty in places, but hey. This is my first fic so i would really appreciate any comments.
1. Chapter 1

The coffee shop was buzzing with conversation. The people within were blissfully unaware of the immanent disaster. It was a busy Saturday morning uneventful, as Saturdays always tended to be. Nicole sat with her friend nursing a frappacino, something that had seemed like a good idea at the time but was fast becoming less appealing.

"So what was it like?" asked Nicole in a hushed tone. She was filled with a strange sort of curiosity.

"It's not as big a deal as everyone seems to make over it," said Melanie quietly, she appeared thoughtful, "It hurts at first, but after a while you get used to it."

"Still, getting your tongue pierced, that must have annoyed your mum," Melanie stuck out the aforementioned piercing and waved it around a little. They laughed at the childish gesture.

"She was a bit miffed, but it's my body. I think she was annoyed about how much it cost more than anything," she said with a grimace.

"I suppose, I'd never have the guts to get mine..." the air was torn apart by an explosion cutting short the end of Nicole's sentence. There was silence, save the car alarms and then the screaming began. The wails blended together, as Nicole raised her head from the ground and crawled over to where her friend lay.

"Mellie..." she whispered gently touching her shoulders, the girls eyes flew open and expression of pain rippled across her face, "Mellie we gotta get out of here."

"I can't move," she whispered, her voice was tiny. As if her lungs were barely working.

Nicole looked down at the safety glass embedded in her friends stomach and was horrified by the impossibility of it. The glass was supposed to shatter into tiny pieces, this sort of thing was not supposed to happen.

"It's ok," said Nicole quietly, "I'll get help."

Melanie's hand grabbed weakly onto her shoulder but it was enough to pull Nicole back, "Don't leave me, I don't want to die... I don't want to be alone."

"I have to get help," she begged her friend, but the girl would not listen. Melanie's eyes were already going hazy.

Nicole looked around and saw a man in odd clothing staring down at her. He wore a black cloak and carried a strange stick in his hand. She reached out to him.

"Please you have to help us, she's hurt badly, we need to get her to a doctor," he just stared at her, not moving, his grey eyes taking in the scene before him with what seemed to be a smirk. "Please..."

She begged again, wondering why he did not help them, wondering why he did nothing. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder pulling her up beside him. Melanie screamed as her friend let go of her hand, and Nicole fought against his harsh grip.

"Please what are you doing we have to help her," shouted Nicole pulling desperately away from him. She heard her friend begging her to come back and she fought harder.

He laughed at her then, "Your pleas will get you nowhere girl."

He pointed the strange stick within his hand at her friend and mumbled some words in a language she could not understand. A flash of green light hit Melanie in the chest and she lay still.

"Welcome to the new world order," She looked up at him without comprehension as the world around them disappeared. One single word escaped her lips.

"Mellie?" Then all was silence.

It was a warm day in June when the wizards took over. Someone somewhere had failed and the world would suffer the consequences.

XOXOX

It was explained to Nicole that she was Muggle scum. It seemed that her position was to serve the dark ones, as she called them, in whatever way they saw fit, or she would die. There were others like her. She knew some of them from before. Others she had never met despite living in the same town as them. They went to different schools, or were in different years. They were given a number she was told she was Seven. Nicole accepted it, and stayed silent. After a while they gave up trying to make her talk believing her to be mute.

The one with the grey eyes watched her, she was careful around him. It was harder to stay vacant when the sight of him made her want to scream. Nicole was never touched, the others were and she listened to their tears every night. For some reason the men left her alone. It seemed they found her silence off putting. The words of one rang in her head, the best piece of inadvertent advice she had ever received, '_Where's the fun if they don't scream?_'

Time passed as it always does and life settled into a rhythm under the new regime. Nicole knew little of the world outside the fortress. It seemed to her as if it had simply ceased to be. She did not know about the resistance, at least not at first. Slowly she came to understand this new world she lived in. She waited for her chance to escape, waited for a chance to change things, and hid in her silence.

OXOXO

He was watching her again. The blonde one who had killed her best friend always watched her. Nicole found his gaze repellent. Every time she felt his silver eyes upon her she wanted to rip them out. She always hid it though. She kept her face blank and her voice silent, words made no difference here.

"Come here Seven," said a voice behind her. Turning she walked towards the wizard behind her, refilling his glass. In her head she called him Scar, because he reminded her of the character in the lion king. When the liquid reached the appropriate measure she pulled the jug away and waited to be dismissed, "What do you think of her then Victor? Does our mute meet as much of your approval up close as she did from a distance?"

The man next to him laughed, it was a deep and cruel sound which Nicole found she disliked. She kept her eyes upon the ground.

"I do like the younger ones," he drawled in a thickly accented voice, she felt a cold pool of fear in her stomach, "look me in the eye girl."

Nicole did as she was ordered keeping her face passive. His eyes were a yellow colour, She wondered what exactly he was before pushing the thought aside.

"No I find she is not to my taste, her eyes are vacant, I prefer them to have a little fire," She felt a flash of triumph at his words. Once again her blank stare protected her from their cruelty. These men liked to break things, they were all the same. They had no use for something already destroyed. In silence she was safe. She was still looking into his eyes as ordered and she saw a look of surprise cross his features, she worried that he had sensed her triumph. "Then again, she smells so sweet, the crazy ones always do."

Was she crazy? Nicole found herself wondering. She came to the conclusion that she was not. It was simply the world which had gone insane. She waited staring into his unusual amber eyes whilst he considered her. She hoped he would lose interest soon, she was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"You may go," he said gently, she turned away and the blonde one motioned her over with his empty glass.

She walked to him and filled it up, since he had not spoken to her she assumed he wished her to complete the task and disappear. Once his glass was full she went to move backwards but he reached out a hand to stop her. He held onto her wrist and she had to fight not to drop the jug and run. Out of them all he was the one she hated. The one that even in her head she could not bear to name. He was the one who ignored her pleas and destroyed her world. His touch on her skin was more painful than a knife slicing through it. She stood completely still, not daring to breathe. Nicole wondered if he could sense her fear. She could feel his eyes upon her, staring at her as he always did. She kept her gaze on the ground.

"Playing with the mute now Lucius?" asked the man beside him, "I prefer the ones that scream personally, but I suppose silence has its appeal."

"Quite," was his only response, it sounded dangerous like he always did, "Go."

She obeyed his command and melted into the shadows. Nicole watched as some of the men found amusement with the other girls, some of them laughed, others did not. No one touched her that night. She was protected by her silence.

XOXOX

She looked around the empty room in shock, she was not supposed to be here. It was a supply room, she had opened the wrong door. Nicole could have hit herself for her own stupidity. It was as she was about to close the door and back out that she saw it. Before her upon one of the tables was a pile of sketch pads. It seemed ridiculous that they should be there. She could not imagine any of the men drawing, or sketching things, they were too vulgar for such a thoughtful talent. Nicole remembered how she used to draw things, how she could sit for hours and sketch an image. Slowly she walked over to the pile and picked one up, the pages were blank as she flicked through. They looked almost melancholy, as if they were waiting to be filled. She made a snap decision and hid it in her dress.

Looking around again Nicole noted a pile of pencils, sharpeners and rubbers. She grabbed some of those as well before she quietly excited the room. She completed her set task and on the way back she stopped off at the rooms provided for them and hid what she had stolen. She then quickly headed back to the Dark one. He might not beat her if she was lucky. She was certain she had taken no longer than usual. Bringing him the little box he had ordered her to collect she placed it into his pale waiting hands. No one commented on the length of her absence and she felt relief.

"So tell me Lucius, how did the raids proceed," ordered the Dark one.

The one she hated spoke evenly, nothing scared him, even his masters wrath, "We were unable to capture the Granger girl, but we managed to kill a few of the resistance."

Nicole listened in her blank interest, no one ordered her away. They assumed she was vacant. They talked often about this resistance and now she felt happiness whenever she heard of their triumphs. Worry filled her, one of them had died. She wondered which one it was.

"Good, but I'm disappointed," said the Dark one, "See that you kill the mudblood soon, it will cripple them and I need them on their knees."

"Yes my Lord," was the clipped reply. She hated his voice it was always so composed and restrained. It reminded her of ice. That was what he was, realised Nicole, pure ice that would never be melted.

She was the only one trusted to wait on them during these meetings, not even their elves held that honour. They were discussions for the ears of the inner circle only, yet they still must have their slave. She was like a trophy, displayed to remind them all of what they had conquered.

To Nicole they were fools. Just because she did not talk they assumed she could not. She knew that if she ever found this resistance then she would tell them everything she had learned. So she paid attention remembering every scrap and detail of the conversation and filing it away in her memory for later use. She would make them suffer for their crimes. She would destroy these men, these nightmares and shadows.

The Dark one opened the box and inside was a large blue stone. It looked like a sapphire but it could have as easily been a tinted crystal. Nicole had never really been able to tell the difference. To her stones were simply that, stones.

"Do you know what this is?" asked the Dark one, his high voice spreading through the room he did not wait for an answer. It was clear by the shock on the faces in the room that they all did, "This is the key to our victory."

It was then that Nicole decided that she would destroy that crystal. If it was the last thing she ever did she would see it shattered on the floor.

OXOXO

Staring at her prize she wondered what to do with it, she had everything she needed to draw but she had nothing to draw. _After all_, mused Nicole, _what was there in this world worthy of remembrance?_ Looking round the room at the others it struck her. Caroline was next to her, and she was staring vacantly into the distance, her eyes were empty. There was a painful bruise down the side of her face and scratch marks on her neck. One of the men had been rough.

Slowly Nicole began to draw, she did not realise that the others had stopped to watch her. She did not notice when Caroline looked away and the other girls made her go back to her position. She did not even perceive the silence. Nicole just kept drawing, she sketched her face and her features first, and then some of her shoulders. After that she added in the shading and whilst she did so she remembered the girl that Caroline had once been. She remembered the times she had seen her laughing or happy. She put it all into the sketch and she ignored the blemishes caused by their fists. When it came to the eyes Nicole caught perfectly the way the light highlighted them. The eyes she drew on the page stared into the distance, but they were not vacant. They were far from it. In them they held depth and strength. The sketch on the page was of someone who was far from broken.

Slowly she put the pencil down and looked up to see them staring at her expectantly. She put the pad into Caroline's lap and the girl looked at it in surprise. After she had studied it a while she looked up at Nicole.

"This isn't me," she whispered. She seemed shocked, Nicole stared at her then picked up her pencil and wrote a name next to the sketch '_Caroline_'. The girl looked at her in silence, her eyes seemed on the verge of tears, "But where are the bruises, the scratches, this is not me, I am Four. This is Caroline, it isn't me."

Some of the others crowded around to look at the image. They stared at it like they could barely comprehend what they saw. Everyone called each other by their numbers now; they had long ago given up on names. Names were the people they used to be. Seeing one on the page scared them, it was dangerous. The entire thing was dangerous but it was a way past the silence of the girl they never called Seven.

"Is this what you see when you look at us?" asked Emily. The room was quiet as they waited for an answer. Slowly Nicole caught her gaze and nodded just slightly. After that the others let her be and Nicole continued with her task, if they were a bit still when they felt her eyes on them, no one commented.

She filled up the pages of the pad with what she saw. That had always been what her art teacher had said, '_Draw what you see Nicole, not what you want to see_.' Perhaps what she drew was not exactly true to life, but it was what she saw. If there were bruises she drew strength, if there were tears she drew bravery. When she thought of the men she drew their cruelty and their evil. A few weeks later when she came to the last page she drew something from memory. Nicole sketched her best friends face as she had smiled a minute before the attack, as she had been laughing. She drew it in detail, she remembered the freckle next to her eye and the curve of her lips. When she was finished she wrote a single word, '_Melanie_'.

XOXOX

The next day when she returned to the room she found another blank pad beside the first one. Someone had seen that it was complete and stolen her another one. Nicole picked up the first pad and looked through it at the pictures she had created. It always amazed her how she managed to make a finished sketch. They seemed sacred, almost untouchable when they were complete. Slowly she put it back in its hiding place. She left the new pad where it was. She was done, there was nothing more to draw.

OXOXO

The wizards kept dogs. It was odd really considering they could probably cast a spell that was a more effective alarm. They wondered around the perimeter of the compound at night sniffling and biting. The other girls were afraid of the Rottweiler's, but Nicole was not. The task of feeding them was left to her. At first when she came by with the meat they snapped at her. Their yellow teeth bared as they barked. After a while however the dogs stopped seeing her as a threat.

Nicole was silent and gentle always, she never shouted or hit them and slowly when they smelt her coming they stopped growling. The one she called Sniffler even let her pet him. After that when she appeared they would bound up to her wagging their docked tales. Sometimes they went so far as to lick her. These supposedly violent dogs saw her as something to protect. Nicole had always had a way with animals.

One day as she absentmindedly tickled the one she called Sneaky under the chin she felt a pair of eyes staring at her. She stood still and waited. She knew it was him. He was the one who was always watching her. Sneaky seemed to pick up on her unrest. He turned to look at the man.

"Sit," he ordered Sneaky, but the dog did not listen. He moved protectively in front of Nicole and bared his teeth in a growl. She felt horror as she saw the man move his wand and the dog fell to the ground. It was dead. "A dog that does not obey orders is useless, his death is your fault Seven."

Nicole did nothing, she looked at the floor and waited. This man seemed intent upon killing the things she loved. She refused to give him another target.

"Come here Seven," she did as she was told and walked forwards to stand in front of him, "On your knees."

She again obliged still staring at the floor. He reached down and lifted up her chin forcing her to look into his eyes. Nicole repressed a shudder at his touch. He used his other hand to brush her hair behind her ear and she wanted to scream and rage and hit him. She could never do what she wanted to.

"What lies behind your empty eyes Seven?" he asked her quietly, his tone seemed gentle, "Those dogs attack the broken ones, the scent of weakness drives them to a frenzy. It brings out the violence in them. Yet it protected you. Seven, the first one to break, the empty shell, the symbol of what we have conquered." He paused, leaning down he twisted her hair in his hands and pulled her head back further, "What creature hides behind your careful facade?"

He trailed his fingers across her exposed throat as Nicole fought to control her screaming mind. She had to keep silent, she could not expose herself. As long as she was silent she was safe. _Safe from what_, her mind mocked her, _from this? _She ignored it concentrating on the blankness. _Just whack him in the nuts and run_. Urged another part of herself, the defiant part. His mouth touched her neck. _No stay still_, screamed her head, _Stay still and he'll lose interest, he wants you to fight, if you don't give him what he wants he'll lose interest and you'll be safe_.

After a few moments he pulled back and let her go. She remained perfectly still, exactly how he left her. He stood up and looked down at her contemplatively. Everything was silent for a while, it could have been moments or minutes. Nicole barely dared breathe, afraid of what he would do next.

"Go," he said, his voice was still gentle and she obliged him. She walked like she always did. Just before she reached the door he spoke.

"Oh and Seven," she waited for him to continue, "Come to my room tonight once you have finished your duties."

Nicole felt all the previous relief disappear. When she was sure he finished speaking she left. Her footsteps reverberated through the corridors like silent screams as her mind planned and panicked.

XOXOX

That day as she dusted and cleaned, and served as she always did her thoughts were elsewhere. She listened only for orders. At all other times she was planning an escape. An idea struck her as she refilled one of the men's glasses, if she was ill or injured then he might leave her alone. It was risky, maybe too risky. Yet if it worked it bought her time to plan an escape. One of the violent ones called her over.

"There all the same really, disgusting trash..." he did not stop his conversation with the wizard next to him as she poured. When the cup was full, she lifted the jug back with a little extra force and managed to spill some of the repulsive liquid over his hand and sleeve. He stopped mid sentence and turned to look at her in rage.

Nicole kept silent and vacant, praying her plan would work whilst fearing the consequences. He simply back handed her. The force of the slap knocked her off her feet and the jug in her hands went flying across the room. She landed with a thump, and bashed her head on the floor, knocking herself out. Before the darkness over took her she hoped that it was enough.

Later that night Nicole awoke with a head ache worse than any hangover. Caroline sat beside her, the girl held lightly onto her hand. It seemed she had been the one looking after her.

"It's ok, don't get up," Caroline told her when she opened her eyes, "You hit your head pretty hard, we were worried about you."

Nicole stared up at her quietly her eyes thanking her with the words she could not say, "Why did you do it Nicole?"

She whispered her name and it shocked her to the bone. Caroline had long ago given up on her own name, calling Nicole by hers gave her a wonderful flash of triumph, "You're always so careful, why did you give him a reason to hurt you?"

Nicole felt sleep drag over her again, she squeezed Caroline's hand lightly and then let herself go.

He did not order her to come to him again.

OXOXO

Days passed and nothing happened, she walked down the corridor alone. She was returning to her rooms to change, she had spilt a strange liquid down herself and Caroline had told her to clean herself up. She opened the door to the empty room, and sighed lightly as she closed it behind her. She was about to go into the tiny bathroom, when she noticed something that stopped her in her tracks. The floor board under which she had hidden the sketch pad was opened. She had been discovered.

"I wonder..." said a voice lightly behind her, "Who these drawings could possibly belong to."

It was him, he had found her out. She stared straight ahead, waiting.

"There's skill here, although some of the work is a little bit stylized," a voice whispered behind her ear, she had not heard him move closer but she was not surprised he was there. She heard the sound of pages flipping as he looked through, "It could have been any of you really, or even all of you. But it looks like the same artist. Wouldn't you agree Seven?"

He held the pad out in front of her, open on the final page, "But this girl is not one of the ones here. She could perhaps be a figure from the artists past, this Melanie girl," Nicole found it difficult to control her anger, she wondered how he could not remember, how he could dare forget her. "But ah yes I seem to remember your friend now, this is her isn't it, '_Mellie_' you called her, wasn't it?"

The page began to burn and Nicole's hand shot out to grab it before it would be destroyed. He stopped her, his arm pulled around her waist as he held the object out of reach, forcing her to watch as her friends face disappeared in flames.

Once it was over and the ashes had crumbled away he let her go. The moment his hands were off of her she forgot about her restraint and moved away from him, trying to fight off tears. He wiped the dust of his gloved hands and smirked at her.

"I'm being kind to you really Seven," he said lightly, "Such a thing could only get you into trouble, especially considering the unflattering light you portrayed my acquaintances and I."

Nicole wanted to scream at him, she almost did. She wanted to rage at this man who destroyed everything she cared about and then dared to claim it as kindness. She wanted revenge. Revenge however was far from his mind.

"Now Seven," he said lightly, turning her around to face him and pulling her body possessively into his, "how are you going to thank me?"

She could not escape him as he undid her dress, she could not fight as he pushed her down to the ground. She struggled as he lay on top of her. She even bit him, but it made no difference it excited him. There was nothing she could do to stop him. So she stopped fighting and let him. It hurt as he pushed his way inside her, as he ripped away the last thing she had been able to cling to. She even bled, he was by no means gentle, and it was her first time. Through it all she made no sound, all that escaped her was a single tear. Then it was over, and he held onto her. She felt his sweat on her skin. The smell of him made her feel ill. Eventually he left her there, on the floor.

Nicole waited until she heard the door close before she got up and cleaned herself. She took time to be sick in the sink. It had happened to the others before now, she was lucky to have escaped it for so long. The assurances she used to try and make herself feel better were meaningless. As she stared at her face in the mirror there was only one thought left. _Why him, why did it have to be him_?

XOXOX

"It's ok," she whispered to the girl, "you'll be ok."

Nicole had not meant to speak but as she had seen Caroline there on the floor words had slipped out unexpectedly. Now it seemed they were unstoppable. She repeated the mantra as she held her in her arms, but Nicole doubted she understood. Anger clogged her throat as she struggled to comfort her.

"No it's not, it will never be ok," she whispered into her arms, "They've taken everything. Everything."

The last part was almost a scream, a scream of pure desperation. She was beyond noticing who had spoken to her.

"Well then of course it will be ok," said Nicole with sudden conviction. A pair of teary eyes looked up at her without comprehension. She had finally realised that it was the mute who was talking, even though her words made little sense.

"What...?"

"If they've taken everything already, then what more can they possibly do?" She continued, the anger had changed, her silence had disappeared as she finally understood, "There's nothing left to fear from them, they're only men."

There conversation was drawing attention from everyone present and Nicole looked around to see twelve pairs of lost eyes trained upon her. Everyone listened in varying degrees of shock, and another strange emotion. She was done with silence.

"They treat us like dirt, like rats, but we are far from that," she paused, "They say we have no humanity, but if that is what they have then they can keep it. They are the rats, the vermin. They use us for their brutal, their violent, and their sadistic urges. It has nothing to do with us. Their like the builders who used to honk their horns as they drove past, or the boys who would wolf whistle at us. They are only human," her breath was coming short and she had to lower her voice, "They can deny us humanity but I don't want _their_ humanity. I'll have my virtue instead, which is something they will never take. They can invade our bodies with their pathetic excuses for manhood, grind us down with their animalistic humanity, but our virtue is our own. It's not a piece of skin that can be destroyed, it cannot be cried out in our tears or beaten out of us in blood. It's our power, our love, our kindness, and our strength. So they can torture us, and hurt as. Make us scream for the families that they murdered, for the lives they destroyed, but it's all ok. We will be ok, because if they have taken everything, then we've won. They are only men after all, even with their magic they are still just men. There is nought else they can do save kill us. If they do that we still win, because we have nothing to fear in death. Nothing is worse than this. They are nothing more than animals, and that is all they will ever be."

She stood in silence looking at the girls around her, the beaten bruised and broken children, the oldest of them barely nineteen. For the first time in months she saw something whole in their eyes. She saw hope.

A clapping noise began behind her, and the hopeful eyes turned empty and looked away. Nicole knew she was not being applauded. An animal had heard her speech and know she would suffer. Turning around she looked at him as he stood there with a smirk upon his face leaning against the doorway. Before she had hated him, now her enmity went beyond that, now it was loathing. The cold slaps of his hand were pealing through the room like a whip lash. Her anger had yet to desert her, and Nicole found she could hold his gaze.

"You are nothing," she stated.

The claps stopped and he walked forward slowly, silently surveying her. His eyes were piercing like an eagle who had sighted a mouse. He stopped a short distance away.

"I am everything," he replied.

"To be everything is to be nothing," said Nicole, her voice was steady, but she began to wonder at her bravery. She had been silent for so long, yet now her tongue seemed unstoppable.

"It seems your discipline has been over looked recently Seven. Oh, my... First stealing, now talking back? We will have to correct that mistake," he grabbed her arm before looking down at the other girls in the room, his gaze fell on empty shells. Distaste clouded his features, "Pathetic. This is what you call virtue Seven? No God would touch these vermin."

He apparated them away from the room and Nicole found herself alone in a cell. It was dark, save the torch which burned sickeningly on the wall; it seemed rather to highlight the shadows than to destroy them. A silent emptiness permeated the thick air and she found she did not want to breath too deeply, she was afraid that it might destroy her.

"You say we can do nothing?" he asked quietly, "You're fond of that word aren't you, but it seems that if we are nothing, and everything is nothing... then you have everything to worry about."

Nicole kept her silence, she had done so for months. If he thought his goading would affect her then he was a fool.

"Answer me Seven," he ordered, "I know you are not mute, I have heard your vile voice now."

"If it's so vile then I am sure you have heard enough of it," replied Nicole.

"Perhaps that is so, you're words are not to my liking, but your screams... I suppose they would be an entirely different matter," his voice dripped with malice as he circled her.

"Well then my screams I will deny you, if you could not extract them yesterday then you never will," she said quietly. The words seemed strong, that feeling of anger that overcame her fear that peculiar strength which she should ignore seemed to cling to her still.

"Is this courage I perceive in you Seven, you never showed signs of the trait before," his tone mocked her, but his cold eyes radiated fury.

Nicole considered the strange feeling, perhaps it was courage. Was courage not a virtue? Certainty filled her and she almost smiled. Yes it was courage that held her body straight, courage that persuaded her tongue to move. Whilst it did not erase the fear or the feeling of desperate need, or the adrenaline singing through her veins, it allowed her to ignore it. She was not foolish enough to think she might escape, or that she had anything but pain to look forward to, yet she was not afraid.

"Nil illegitimi carborundum," slipped from her lips so quietly she did not even realise she had spoken the words.

"I assure you I am no _bastard_ my blood is the purer than your Queens," he whispered in her ear, he was standing too close to her, "There is no need for petty insults."

Nicole met his gaze, "blood is meaningless, you don't have your fathers blood. The blood which flows now through your veins did not at any point flow through those of your ancestors. Blood is a transient perishable liquid. A person's true worth has nothing to do with their parents, nothing to do with their money or their ancestry, nothing to do with their birth, or whether or not they can wield magic. A baby is a baby, and a child a child. A person, is their own entity made up of their own choices their own courage," she paused emphasizing her next word, "or cowardice. Blood is your own and no one else's, and its purity has nothing to do with its descent. There is no murder in my blood, and little malice... there is no evil, I find now there is even that courage you so despise. So whose blood is purer? The amount of pollution in yours I'm surprised it's not sludge."

The slap rang out through the room and it took Nicole a moment to realise he had hit her. The expected surprise of it created a little bubble of laughter in her throat. She felt something more than courage now; it seemed to be almost triumph. She wondered at the possibility.

"You will address me as Master, Seven," his voice was cutting and cold, "You will respect your superiors."

"The title of master does not make you my superior, it is only a word," the triumphant feeling did not disappear it seemed strengthened by his inability to disprove her words.

"You will address me as Master," he said as she felt the sting of another slap.

"It is only a word... _Master_," her tone was mocking she refused to let him win. She was done with silence.

His grey eyes were calculating as he surveyed her, "Respect your superiors Seven."

"I respect your violence _Master_, and your fists. I respect your intellect, and your cunning. I respect you as an advisory. I would be a fool not to. What I do not respect however _Master_ is your superiority. How can I respect what does not exist. In short I respect you as I would a Lion, or an ant, but I do not respect you... _Master_."

She had said too much, Nicole could tell from the way he was looking at her. Now he would hurt her, to teach her a lesson, but his actions would change nothing.

"This virtue that you seem to cling to, does it include your deceit, or your cruelty?" he asked quietly. Nicole did not understand what he meant.

"Your silence all these months has been deceitful Seven, but what else can be expected from a muggle whore," his words were far more effective than his slaps, "You think its kindness that moves you to comfort those girls. It's not, it is pure selfish cruelty. You give them hope, but that hope will be ripped away, over and over again. You made them feel when they had accepted their fate. You played with them and that hope you gave them... it will destroy them. What you did Seven is pure cruelty. There is no virtue left in you. You are nothing but a number."

He hit her then, over and over again, till she was bleeding on the floor.

"Tell me Seven, what do you feel now?" he looked down at her and Nicole forced herself not to cry or scream. She ignored the prickling feeling behind her eyes, and forced away the fire that clogged her throat, or was that blood. "Tell me Seven, do you enjoy being disgusting. Do you take pride in your ugliness. Did your deceit fill you with a purpose? Because that purpose is over now Seven, you will never leave this cell."

"Nicole..." she whispered, her voice barely louder than a sigh.

"What was that," he queried, his voice was deceptively gentle, "What did you say?"

"My name is Nicole," she yelled. With those words she let go of all the restraint all the pain and all the tears she had held back, and as there echo died from the room she felt a sudden calm.

"No, it isn't, a name belongs to a person, you are not a person," was his simple reply, and then the pain began once again.

OXOXO

"I waited for you," he said it so gently that Nicole was not sure if she heard correctly, it sounded oddly confessional, "I knew there was more to you than the silence so I waited."

He thought that she was asleep, the beating he had inflicted had taken her almost wholly into unconsciousness and he was unaware that at that moment she was still slightly lucid.

"The first moment I saw you, I saw her," He paused for a moment considering her as he gently played with a strand of her hair between his fingers, "It was the colour I think, your fair head reminded me of hers. You were so afraid, everyone there was, so wonderfully terrified. When I looked at you again, I realised there was little resemblance really. I was quite ready to ignore you, let the others have their fun, but then you spoke. It was nothing like her voice, but there was something in it that caught my attention. You begged for a friend's life, but I showed you words were useless."

He let go of her hair and brushed his fingers gently across her jaw, delicately avoiding the bruises he had inflicted, "So you stopped speaking, the others believed you to be mute, and if I had not heard the fire in your voice I might have believed it so. But a voice like that, passion like that is impossible to stifle. So I watched you, and I waited for you to speak again. It was strange at first. I would have never thought it possible to learn so much about a person without once hearing their voice. I wondered if maybe you would speak to the other girls, but you did not say a word. As I watched I saw kindness, in the way you looked after those around you. I watched your face, and your reactions. I learnt your soul, something which could never truly be articulated. They believed you broken, but I knew better."

He was still staring down at her and she exerted the little control she possessed over her body to stay still, "I knew you were just hiding, hiding behind a blank face, because I could see it in your eyes. It was the fire in them that excited me. The fire reminded me of her. I wanted you. I wanted all of you to submit to me. I suppose some would call it obsession..."

He left it at that as if he was unsure what else to say. After a while of silence she felt herself drift into unconsciousness, his words barely registering in her mind.

XOXOX

Nicole had been sure no one cared. She had been certain that she would rot down there, in the dungeon, her only company him and the rats. She had been mistaken. A man stood in the door way of her cell and he held out his hand to her.

"I'm here to help you," he said gently, moving towards her quietly. She skittered backwards away from him.

"Who... who are you?" she asked, her voice breaking in fear.

"You used to feed me," he said gently, she looked at him without comprehension, "I was actually the first one you stroked."

The look on his face reminded her of a puppy wagging its tail.

"Sniffler?" she asked in shock, "What... how?"

"Is that what you called me, I kind of like it," he said smiling, he held out his arm and she took it no longer afraid, "Although just so you know its Marcus. I'm a sort of involuntary animagus. But come on we need to get you out of here."

"Wait," she said quietly, "I don't really understand much, but if you're here to help there's something that needs to be destroyed."

He paused looking down at her, he seemed unsure for a moment.

"There's..." she paused wondering how best to put it, "There's this big blue stone that the Dark one had and he said it was the key to his victory."

He nodded them mumbled something into his sleeve, "control yeh, the rocks here, he has it... I'll be right with it. Are you sending the Chudley boys after it? Make sure Grangers with them, it's important they get it... No I'm bringing something else in. Be back in a sec."

He turned to her then with a light smile, "Were you just talking to your sleeve?"

"No time to explain," he said in a blasé manner, "Now hold on tight, unless you want to leave you legs behind."

Without another word he apparated them away from her dank dungeon to safety.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing Nicole noticed was the light. She let out a little gasp and slipped down to the floor desperately covering her eyes. It was all too much for her. The relief was debilitating. It was too bright in the room. After so much time in the dark it felt like needles stabbing her eyes. Her body ached from her recent beating and she landed heavily on her leg.

"Are you ok?" asked Marcus his voice filled with concern, "What's wrong?"

"The light, it's blinding. I... I can't see, it hurts," Nicole moaned her face hidden behind her hands.

She heard someone mumble a word and then the light disappeared. Nicole cracked her eyes open and found the light just bearable.

"Jenkins, what's going on?" said a shocked voice from behind them, "aren't you still supposed to be undercover?"

"I'm sorry Mr Weasley sir but certain factors made it necessary for me to abandon the mission," came Marcus' clear voice. Nicole turned to see the man behind them. He was tall with short neat red hair.

"According to protocol you should have checked first before taking any immediate action," said the man. His voice sounded disapproving.

"I ran it by Granger, she said it was ok," said Marcus defensively, "and if I had taken any more time I'd be dead right now."

The red head cleared his throat uncomfortably as the silence stretched between them.

"Who is this?" he finally asked, turning his attention to Nicole, "She looks like a muggle if I'm not mistaken."

Nicole flinched and felt anger in her gut, she hated that word. Standing up shakily she fixed him with a glare, "My name is Nicole Archer Mr. Weasley."

He ignored her interruption and continued talking to Marcus.

"Where is Granger then?" asked Weasley.

Four sharp cracks filled the air and Nicole spun round to find herself looking at a woman with very curly brown hair and three further red headed men, they all looked similar they might have been brothers. The first looked gangly still, the second was missing an ear and the third had long hair and a scarred face. Nicole moved unconsciously closer to Marcus at the sudden proximity to so many strange wizards. There were more people around her than she had seen in days.

"Marcus, how've you been," shouted the first red head, "What you doing here?"

"Ron," sighed the brunette disapprovingly, "I already told you that, Marcus' covers been blown remember."

"Oh yeh," said Ron looking faintly apologetic, "Tough luck mate."

"Ah it could have been worse," said Marcus with an easy smile, Nicole found herself relaxing.

"So who's this?" asked Ron lightly, turning to face Nicole. When he got a look at her he stopped for a second in shock. Looking down at herself Nicole took in her ripped and bloodied clothing, she could barely imagine what a sight she was. She knew she was bruised as well. The thought of her dirtied state filled her with embarrassment and she felt her cheeks burning. She seemed the epitome what the dark ones had called her. A dirty muggle.

"This is Nicole," said Marcus, speaking for her, "she's... a friend."

Nicole looked up at Marcus in surprise, it was a while since someone had called her that.

The woman stepped forward and looked at him, she was fixing him with a piercing glare that Nicole was glad was not trained upon her.

"Marcus," said the woman quietly, her voice sounded dangerous, "What are you up to? This place is supposed to be a secret."

Marcus looked faintly apologetic, "I'm sorry Granger, but I had to... look at her, she needed help."

Nicole felt her eyes drawn to the woman, it was Granger after all, the woman the Dark one wanted destroyed the brains behind the resistance. She looked young, barely twenty at the most. She noticed the woman was looking back at her in a similar fashion, assessing her with her gaze. Their eyes met and Nicole straightened up, refusing to be anything other than an equal.

"You are Hermione Granger?" asked Nicole, her voice was level. She made sure that it did not quiver.

"Yes," replied the woman, "Who are you, correct me if I'm mistaken but you don't appear to be a witch."

"I'm not," Nicole replied, "My name is Nicole Archer, and until recently I was a mute slave."

Granger looked thoughtful, "And who are you now Nicole?"

Nicole considered the question for a while, "I don't know, it's not important really. What's important is whether or not you got that stone I told Sniffl... Marcus about, and if you have it you had better destroy it."

Hermione took a small step backwards at the intensity of her glare.

"That's not something we can really discuss," said the third red head with the scared face, "its a valuable magical object..."

Nicole stopped listening, she knew what he meant by that. _So much for the resistances fabled genius_, she thought faintly. They would not trust her, they might help her but to them she was a muggle, and worse than that she was a muggle that had served the dark. It was irrelevant whether she had done so willingly, to them she was tainted.

"Nicole is the only reason we have that stupid stone," said Marcus surprising everyone by cutting off the man mid stream, "If it weren't for her we would never have known they stole it."

The second red head looked at her for the first time and cracked a small cheeky grin. All eyes in the room were at that moment trained upon her.

"He said it was the key to his victory," she told them, she tried to say more but could not find the words. Now was the time to reveal to them all that she had learnt, all the conversations and details she had memorized. Yet the words would not form. Granger cleared her throat, she took the silence to mean that Nicole was done speaking.

"Well then it might be the key to our victory as well," supplied Ron thoughtfully, the look did not quite suit him.

The wizards looked at one another guardedly before their eyes darted to Nicole.

"Marcus why don't you sort our guest out somewhere to sleep," Granger turned to look at her, "I hope you don't mind but now that you know of our position I'm afraid you won't be able to leave for a while."

Nicole nodded she had expected as much. Marcus led her out of the room and as she closed the door she heard the second one speak for the first time.

"Why is it so dark in here Perce, you haven't gone morbid on us have you?"

XOXOX

She was sat on a bench in the shade of an old willow. Next to it was a great lake with crystal water made a bright sparkling blue by the clear skies. A slight breeze ruffled the sighing trees and Nicole leaned back to feel the morning sunshine on her face. She had come out here to think, and perhaps sketch a little. The sketch book lay on her lap untouched. Things were not going well. She had been here a few days now, and her bruises were healing. She could now walk with only a little pain.

Nicole was certain she was smart, if not exceptionally smart than at least moderately so. Yet contrary to this she had absolutely no idea what to do. She wanted to tell them everything, yet that seemed impossible. Try as she might she could not betray the dark ones. It was not that Nicole did not want to, she needed their destruction. It similarly seemed nothing to do with the resistance either, she may not have exactly liked most of them, but that was irrelevant. They were after all just a means to revenge. The problem was that every time she tried to inform them of the dark one's plans her mouth would not work. What was worse she could not even tell them that it would not work. The only subject that she could discuss seemed to be the stone which they refused to destroy. It came to Nicole's mind rather forcefully that all wizards were complete fools.

_What about Marcus?_ Asked a small voice in her head. That voice was beginning to annoy her. _I'm entitled to be thoughtless and biased sometimes_, she told it, _everyone else is so stop making me reasonable, it's unfair._ The better part of her was silent and Nicole found herself feeling guilty, _ok fine not all wizards are horrible, evil, soulless or idiots_, she admonished_, just most of them_.

Nicole was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not hear a person approaching behind her. When he spoke she was taken completely by surprise. It was not a feeling she relished.

"What are you doing here?" drawled a cold voice.

She jumped up in fear and spun to face him as the pad in her lap fell to the ground. Her eyes landed on a blonde head and a familiar smirk.

"Get away from me," the words slipped out, a mix of cold fear and pure fury and the man looked surprised. The expression was so out of place on his face that it shocked Nicole out of her terror.

"Excuse me?" he asked, the voice was wrong she realised, different. He also seemed shorter than the man she remembered, his chin was more pointed and he had a lot less hair. Even his eyes lacked the same intensity. They were grey, but the only thing that filled them was shock.

Nicole paused for a moment, unsure what to say. The longer she was silent the more awkward it got.

"I apologize," she said quietly, "I mistook you for someone else."

She started to walk away but he stepped in front of her and stopped her.

"Wait a moment," he said holding up his hand, "You can't just do that."

She looked at him confused, they were at least half a metre apart yet it felt far too close for her liking. She took a step back.

"Do what?" she asked evenly. She hated feeling trapped.

"I'm certain that even Muggle's must understand the proper routine for introduction," he said with a grin. The word grated at her and she glared at him the fury she felt earlier came back full force as she took a step forward, "Who are you anyway? I haven't seen you here before."

"I have no interest in being introduced," her tone was deadly cold, she hated that word. He just smirked at her. She turned and walked the other way around the bench but again she found him in her way. When she tried the same process another time he followed her blocking her escape. It made her panic.

"I'm not answering your questions so leave me alone," exclaimed Nicole in frustration.

"Why not its common courtesy, isn't it?" he asked annoyed.

"Oh and you're treating me with so much of the stuff right now are you," she replied in biting annoyance.

"Well you could at least tell me your name," he said calmly.

"Why don't you tell me yours first," said Nicole.

"It's Draco, Draco Malfoy," he said with a sigh of expiration. Nicole did not care if he was annoyed, a wash of cold fear swept over her at the mention of his last name and she took a step backwards.

"M...Malfoy," she stuttered her instincts took over and she ran. He must have let her go because no one stopped her in her flight. Her breathing was coming fast and short as she accidently barrelled head first into Marcus. He had been on his way to find her. Looking around she realised how far she had run, the lake was a long way away.

"Nicole, what's wrong what happened," asked Marcus his voice filled with concern as he leant down and took her hand in his.

"Why..." she asked quietly, "Why is there a Malfoy here?"

Marcus' grip tightened on her hand, "You... you met Draco?"

"Yes," she replied quietly, "I thought it was him... but then I realised he sounded different."

"Was he rude to you?" asked Marcus his tone sounded dangerous.

"Yes... no," she corrected herself, "I was rude to him, he called me a muggle, and it made me angry, and I was scared."

"What's wrong with him calling you a muggle, that's what you are isn't it?" asked a brazen voice behind her. Nicole was getting tired of wizards sneaking up on her.

She turned her head and saw Ron Weasley standing a few feet behind her. Marcus helped her to her feet as he shot Ron a warning glare. She turned to face him lifting her chin.

"You're right, I am a muggle technically. I'm proud of that fact," she stated, "I would no more wish to be anything else than I would wish to be impaled or enslaved. When a wizard calls me a muggle however, it's an insult. When a wizard calls me a muggle, it means he sees me as filth, as inferior. It's got an almost constant prefix of dirty, it's a derogatory term used to belittle my kind. The word is a symbol of oppression and fear so excuse me if I don't take kindly to being referred to as such."

Ron swallowed and looked a little guilty, "sorry, would you like it better if we called you something else?"

"Yes I would, call me Nicole," she turned back to Marcus, "Why is there a Malfoy here?"

"Draco is... on our side, sort of," said Marcus uneasily. The Weasley snorted and she looked at him questioningly.

"Not really like he has much choice, what with You-Know-Who gunning for him," said Ron.

"What do you mean, gunning for him? What did he do?" Asked Nicole confused.

"Draco's mother was killed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named after she betrayed him during the battle of Hogwarts to save her son," said Marcus quietly.

"Malfoy was never really the best death eater, he failed most of his missions. He loved his mum," continued Ron, "when she died he gave up on his father and defected to our side. Plus he owed Harry a life debt."

"After that You-Know-Who put a price on his head, he doesn't take kindly to deserters," finished Marcus, he seemed sad about something. It sounded like he pitied him.

"Oh," said Nicole quietly, she could almost feel sorry for the man. She understood how horrible losing your family could be, she did not even know if hers were still alive. She was too afraid to try and find out.

"Malfoy's a git," said Ron, "but he hasn't had it easy."

There was silence for a while before something occurred to Nicole.

"Who's Harry?" neither replied for a moment, they seemed unsure. Something that looked like pain flicked across Ron's face but it was gone in an instant.

"Come on let's go get lunch," said Marcus ignoring her question.

"Ok," it seemed that that particular subject was off limits.

"It was nice seeing you Ron," she called politely over her shoulder as they walked away.

"Yeh you too, take care," he replied.

When they were far enough away Nicole turned to Marcus and raised an eyebrow, she was burning with curiosity over this forbidden subject.

"Who is this Harry person Marcus?" She asked quietly so no one would over hear.

"It's not something we talk about," he replied, his tone did not seem open for discussion, she pushed on despite this.

"Why not?" asked Nicole. He turned to face her, an almost angry expression on his face.

"Do you like talking about what Lucius Malfoy did to you?" Asked Marcus quietly, his tone was deadly. Nicole took a step backwards feeling panic at hearing that name, she shook her head, "Well that's how wizards feel about discussing Harry _Bloody_ Potter!"

She stepped away from him again in surprise, he was never like this.

"Come on lets go get some food," he said visibly restraining himself, he gave her a reassuring smile. Now that he had made his point he was a little more relaxed. Seeing such volatile emotions scared her and she moved further away from him. In her experience angry men could only mean bad things, irrationality kicked in and Nicole needed to be away from him.

"No," she said quietly, "I don't think I'm hungry anymore, I... I'll go for a walk."

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked, he looked a little confused.

"No I'm fine on my own, you go get some lunch," she moved away again, "I'll see you later."

"Nicole...?"

"I'm fine," she repeated turning her back on him and walking away.

He did not follow her and she found herself in the tree's surrounding the house. There was a lot of wildlife around the headquarters. The wizards seemed to like that sort of thing. Nicole had grown up in a busy town in the greater London area. Natural scenery though not unheard of was mostly farmland and small woods. Here wherever she went, there were tree's that seemed to reach the sky. There were lakes, hills and fields of flowers. It was beautiful and calming, yet she found for some reason that she missed pavements. It made no sense, the air here was cleaner there were no cars, no pollution, noise, air or otherwise. At night if you looked out the window you could even see stars. Hundreds of thousands of glittery lights that might shoot across the sky, you could even occasionally see by moonlight. There were no streetlamps, and it was quiet.

The problem, Nicole realised as she paced slowly along the path, was that it was not her home. Her home was very likely a destroyed slum of burnt out houses and craters in the ground. The quiet suburban road on which she grew up undoubtedly at that moment resembled a bomb site.

She sat down on a tree stump when she felt tears in her eyes. She had never really liked her house much. Her friends had all had bigger ones, with nicer kitchens and shiny new bathrooms that had been remodelled in the last twenty years. They even had longer gardens and one or two of them had pools. Yet it had been her home, she had grown up there. There was a doorway in her hallway that her mum had used to measure her and her siblings as they grew. Her bedroom had been yellow, she could not remember why she chose that colour, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Her bed had been comfy and her parents bed even more so. She and her two sisters would sit on it on Sunday mornings and talk for hours. Her younger sister would cuddle up next to her mum whilst her father read the paper. Her older sister would sit at his feat whilst Nicole herself claimed the thick wooden plank that blocked off the end of the bed. She would lean against the post and dangle one leg on either side like a cow girl.

She felt tears trailing down her cheeks as she started to cry, she had not done so in a long while. Before long she was sobbing great unstoppable tears as she wept for the house she grew up in, the house which was likely a hole in the ground.

OXOXO

Nicole sat on the floor in the back corner of the library. It was extensive and filled with works of magical non-fiction. At first she had found the great old tomes strange but she was slowly getting used to it. When she had tried yet again unsuccessfully to bring up what she had learnt from waiting on the dark ones meetings Nicole had decided to find a solution. The next morning she had headed to the library rather than the lake. She was determined to sort it out, she could not ask anyone for help as she was incapable of explaining why she needed it. So she worked alone sifting through volume after volume of boring and in some cases incomprehensible spells and potions.

She had honestly believed in the beginning that despite her distaste for wizards learning about magic might have been interesting. It seemed she had been wrong. Some of the volumes reminded her of her old physics text books, they were inherently monotonous. Worse still were the ones that were written like philosophical texts. Some of the authors had less grasp of basic grammatical flow than Immanuel Kant himself. She had once managed to read and understand one page of Kant's '_Critique of Pure Reason_'. It took as much effort to read one sentence of Boris Grammangler's '_The Twenty-Four Uses Of The Grunfungle Root_'. The whole situation was driving her to distraction.

She gave up on the volume and turned to the next one in the pile. She struggled with it for a whole two minutes before she realised it was not written in English and let out an exasperated sigh. It had actually been making more sense than the previous text, something she was quite sure was impossible. Those were the ones that really annoyed her. The key to all her problems could be hidden somewhere in the strange symbols and she would never know simply because she could not understand the language.

"What are you doing?" asked a surprised voice. Nicole looked up to meet the gaze of the younger Malfoy. She was too frustrated at that second to be scared of him

"What does it look like I'm doing," she snapped.

He looked down at the book she had discarded, "attempting to read an ancient, ancient Aramaic book of fairytales."

"Fairytales?" said Nicole in disgust, "Well that makes things simpler."

She picked up the next text and opened it to find herself faced with hieroglyphs.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me, haven't any of you blasted wizards ever heard of English?" she demanded of him. She noticed he stifled a grin and glared at him.

"You know there's a section of translations over there," he pointed vaguely off into the stacks.

"Are you serious?" she asked in disbelief, "Is there one for Grammangler's work as well?"

"Oh yes," he replied, "but only one of them is in English."

"What are all the rest in?" she asked in horror.

"Latin mostly, and a few are in Old Norse, but those ones are a bit grisly. I wouldn't recommend them," he smirked and Nicole found herself wrestling with the urge to throw a book at him.

She sighed and wrested her head in her hands, she felt herself fighting off the strange new urge to cry. It was odd, as if when she had wept for her lost home she had opened the flood gates and now she found herself crying over the simplest silliest things.

"What do you want?" she asked quietly.

He sat down beside her, took the book of hieroglyphs from her lap, "This one is on the best spells and charms to increase grain production. Would you like me to translate it for you?"

"Not even if you were to translate it into comprehensible sentences," he looked confused and possibly a little hurt. The emotion was gone as quickly as it came and his pale cheeks flushed with anger.

"Fine I attempted to be civil but if you're..." she realised he thought she was taking exception to him and quickly cut him off to explain.

"Wait I just meant that the subject of the text is not what I'm searching for, I wasn't insulting you, I just... I don't need it translated, I don't care about grain production," he looked somewhat mollified.

"Oh," he replied, "right sorry, I just assumed no offence right Archer."

"None taken," she replied, she picked up another book and found herself faced with Chinese, she sighed, "Could you tell me what this one's about?"

He looked down at the page, "I think it's on memory charms."

Nicole considered it and then she shook her head, it probably would not be under that. After all she could remember the details, she just could not quite articulate them. She laid it more gently aside then she had the last few, it was not the books faults that they were not what she needed.

"I could make you a potion that would help you understand the languages for a couple of hours at a time. Only it takes a while to brew," he offered.

"No thanks," she replied lifting the next text, "I don't really trust magic."

"Well then, why are you reading about it?" he asked.

She tried to answer, she even opened her mouth, but the words would not come and she was left gaping like a fish, she closed it again and tried to pass off the silence with a joke, "Know your enemy."

"You see us as your enemy?" he asked frowning. She turned her head and met his pale gaze.

"I see everyone as a threat, this isn't my world anymore," she replied, "Power is everything, and it's constantly abused."

"What are you really researching?" he asked.

She again tried to answer him, her eyes begged him to understand, but her mouth remained silent.

"You can't tell me can you," he said. She just kept staring.

"I wouldn't say that," she said quietly.

"So you don't want to tell me," he said.

"I wouldn't say that either," she tried to say more but once again her mouth was silent, she begged him with her eyes to understand.

"Fine," he said standing up, "good luck with your research whatever it is, oh and try the third one up, Merlin's as tedious as muck but he knew a lot."

"Thank you," she replied, he nodded.

XOXOX

Nicole's research was failing and it was giving her a migraine. She decided to go in search of Marcus, to see if he wanted to get something to eat. She had not seen him since she had asked about Harry. It had been a few days ago now and she missed him. She could now walk without a limp, all that remained of her bruises were slight yellowish marks. She was in general feeling better than she had in months, even with a head ache. When she was walking down a corridor towards the kitchen she saw him through the window. He was sat on a bench in the middle of the grass and he was not alone, there was a red head sat beside him and she thought for a moment by the long hair that he was talking to the oldest Weasley. The one she had later discovered was called Bill. His companion turned their head to the side and Nicole realised her mistake. Marcus was talking to a girl. She watched with curiosity wondering who it might be. The girl looked about his age which made her at least two years older than Nicole. As she watched their heads met in a gentle kiss.

Nicole backed away from the window in panic. A memory singed through her system, of grey eyes staring at her. She felt hands restraining her and the smell of his sweat on her body. She turned away and clutched her arms around herself. Trying desperately to hold together.

She had kissed boys before him, too many to count really. She had even enjoyed it, when they had been good at kissing, or when she had been drunk. She was not jealous of the couple on the bench, quite the opposite. What they were doing terrified her. She struggled to control her breathing as she sank to the ground hiding in a small alcove out of the way. He had never kissed her there, not on the lips. He had never invaded that part of her. She should have been safe from this, yet the panic would not disappear. It seemed unstoppable. Seeing Marcus that way made her realise that if he wanted to he could hurt her.

She tried to bombard her brain with other things, she needed to forget him. Needed to forget the desperation she had felt. She tried to remember what she had been before all this, the girl who did not have a panic attack when she saw people kissing.

She had been good at art, and history. She had loved films, and hated running. She had been too afraid of pain to get a piercing. When she remembered piercings she thought of Mellie, she tried to remember how she had stuck her tongue out at her. The image would not materialize. She had not thought about her best friend since he had burnt her sketch, and now Nicole realized she could not remember her face. It was as if Melanie had been seared from her memory. Her breathing slowed as she began to concentrate. She tried to remember facts about her friend. Her birthday had been October the twenty-eighth. She had loved strawberry ice cream and hated coca-cola. Her laughter had been like bubbles that she could not control, and she was happiest when she was dying her hair.

Standing up Nicole sighed in defeat, she could remember all about Melanie. If there was a quiz on her best friends likes, life and interests she would undoubtedly get full marks. Yet try as she might she could not remember the girl herself. It scared her. She turned away from the kitchens skipping lunch and headed back to the library. _I will break whatever enchantment they placed on me_, she promised herself, _and then I will see him destroyed_!

OXOXO

She had progressed to the table in the centre of the library and she sat in the chair reading book after useless book. If she did not understand the language she simply skipped it, moving quickly onto the next one. She was beginning to understand Magic better, it had started when she was reading the "Works of Merlin" to begin with it had seemed somewhat incomprehensible, a muddled mixture of old English and Latin. She had stuck with it however and found a dictionary to translate it, it had taken longer than the other books so she had distracted herself with the ones that where more modern and then skipped back to the archaic text every so often. She had now gained an understanding of the basic principles of magic. She could no more perform a spell than she could fly but she could almost understand how a spell could be performed, like she could scientifically understand how a bird could fly.

Nicole was using a note pad to write down her translations, she looked down at the page. Her heart skipped a beat in excitement as she read the words.

'_Charms to keep a secret, and how to break them_' the rough translation stared up at her and she let out a gasp of pure joy. She had found it.

After half an hour of furious scribbling the text moved onto '_Charms to brew spirits and how to strengthen them_'. Nicole stopped working and read back over the section with a sinking heart, she was in deep trouble.

"What are you looking at?" asked an interested voice. Nicole turned to see the girl who had been with Marcus.

"Nothing much," she replied carefully.

"I'm Ginny," said the girl smiling, "I hope you don't think I'm rude, Marcus told me about you and I wanted to meet you. You are Nicole right."

"Yes I am," she replied, "It's nice to meet you, you're the youngest Weasley right?"

"That's me," she said with a smile, "How are you liking headquarters?"

"It's better than where I came from," stated Nicole.

"Yeh, Marcus told me about rescuing you," she said quietly, "I can only imagine how bad it was."

"You're a pure blood witch right?" she asked, Ginny nodded, "Well then no, you really can't even begin to imagine."

She stood up grabbing closing the notepad and clutching it to her side, "I have to go, I'll see you later Ginny."

Nicole walked away leaving the other girl sitting there. She had not originally intended to be rude. The girl had brought it on herself with her attempt at sympathy. It was something Nicole had no time for. She refused to feel sorry for herself, and that meant nobody else could either. She traipsed through the corridors searching for him but he was nowhere to be found.

Finally she bumped into Granger.

"Sorry," she said putting a hand out to steady her.

"That's ok," came an almost sheepish reply. Nicole wondered what reason she could have for being timid.

"Are you alright?" asked Nicole quietly. When she caught sight of her face it looked as if she had been crying, "What's wrong?"

"I said I'm fine," she snapped in reply, she looked at her in annoyance then taking in her dishevelled appearance, "Where are you going?"

"I'm looking for Malfoy actually, I kind of need his help with something," Granger narrowed her eyes at her.

"Help with what?" asked the woman.

"With something vitally important," said Nicole impatiently.

"You've been researching in the library, what have you found?" she demanded.

Nicole met her gaze, "Its personal."

Before she could blink Granger had snatched the pad from her hands and had her wand pointed at Nicole.

"George, Ron, Marcus" she shouted, "I've got it. You can come out now."

Nicole made a desperate grab for the pad before someone got a hold of her arm pulling her back.

"No you don't understand, I need that," she said desperately, she looked around to see Marcus' hand on her arm gripping her too tightly. His face was blank.

Granger was soon flanked by two red heads and she began flicking through to the last page of translation.

"Charms to keep a secret," she read out her voice quivering in outrage, "What are you trying to hide from us Nicole."

"No you don't understand, I'm not trying to hide anything," she replied in frustration.

"Well it doesn't look that way," said Ron, "Or were you trying to steal our secrets."

"I can't use magic you fool," she replied quietly.

"Is that why you were using Malfoy, were you two plotting something?" asked George.

"No, Why can't you understand it's not about you it's about..." she tried to say it she honestly did but the words would not come out. She opened her mouth and tried to move it, but she could only exhale.

"Silence won't work, we know you've tried that tactic before," said Granger cuttingly.

Nicole screamed in frustration, "You're supposed to be smart, why are you being so dense? It's not about tactics, it's about..." again her jaw locked and she felt tears in her eyes. She glared back at Marcus, "How could you do this to me? How could you doubt... you know what happened."

He balked a little at that, and looked away from the accusation in her eyes, "Do I really? The only time I saw anything you were just letting him do it, you didn't even struggle."

Nicole felt the words hit her with more power than any slap. She staggered backwards a little under the force of the blow. When she righted herself however her face was blank she simply looked away from him, showing nothing in her eyes. Not even recognising his existence.

"Think what you will," said Nicole, looking at her accusers, "You Wizards are all the same."

"What are you up to Archer?" said Granger quietly, she seemed almost nervous.

"I would imagine," replied a cold voice behind them, "she is doing her very best to help you, and that you are being extremely ungrateful. Wouldn't you say that was the case Seven?"

Nicole pulled on Marcus' arm in a desperate attempt to escape him. His grip had slackened in shock and she slid free. Her body was shaking a little. It was him, he should not be here. She turned to see the two Malfoys. The father had his wand pointed at his son. Behind him was a group of the dark ones in their masks.

"Draco?" she asked quietly looking at the son.

"I told you where to find it, why did you take so long?" His eyes were sad, almost as empty as her face.

"I couldn't read old English," replied Nicole, "I had to translate it. I needed you to help me with it."

"I'm sorry, I didn't I... I thought you wouldn't want me around you too much..." he cut off as his father cleared his throat.

"Now is not the time to bemoan your failures Draco," He said, "numerous as they are we'd be here all night."

A ripple of what might have been laughter flicked through the dark ones.

"We propose a deal, give us the muggle and my son will remain unharmed," came the clipped tones and Nicole wondered if he had lost his mind.

Granger stared at him, she appeared to be thinking along the same lines as Nicole, "What? Have you gone insane. You would hurt your son? To recapture a muggle?"

"Well that's up to you Granger," he smirked, "Which do you value more? A muggle spy or a Wizard, albeit not a very good one."

Draco's face reddened but he remained silent. He met Nicole's eyes.

"I'm no spy," she whispered backing away from the death eaters, shaking her head, "I will not go back."

"Quiet now Seven, now is not the time for you to speak," he said, looking past her to where Granger was stood.

"What do you want with her?" asked Granger, her tone was calculating and Nicole did not like it.

She turned to stare at her. The look in her eyes told Nicole everything she needed to know. She really hated Wizards.

"That's not really your concern Mudblood," came the sharp reply. Nicole ignored it and caught the other girls eye.

"If you are going to do this then you will destroy that thing, like I told you to before," she was surprised how steady her voice was.

Granger nodded, Nicole was unsure whether it was aimed at herself or him.

"Marcus," whispered the girl with a frown. He had a hold of her arm again and Nicole did not bother to struggle. She could not even begin to fight them.

The only one she had trusted had betrayed her completely. She noticed him trying to catch her eye, she looked at him once and then pointedly looked away. Nicole never wanted to see him again.

When she was stood before them she caught Draco's eyes. Like his father's they held neither pity nor guilt, but unlike the man beside him there was understanding, and there was reassurance. There was a silent promise between them, he would do everything he could to help her.

The trade took place and the elder Malfoy had a hold of her arm. She caught the younger's eyes once again.

"You did your best," she whispered, hoping he heard.

"Your best was not good enough," stated the older Malfoy as he locked his arm around her neck pulling her back towards him. With those final words and a crack like lightning, he apparated them back to hell.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed. This is a short chapter, but the next one will probably be longer... Feel free to give me your opinion on anything, it's a bit vague but there are sub plots behind it which will probably be revealed... once I figure out how. Realised I need a disclaimer...**

**Disclaimer:**** I own almost nothing, apart from my interpretation and main character. Other than that it's all Rowlings. **

OXOXO

Her feet hit the ground back in her cell and Nicole fought the urge to cry. It had been night at headquarters but the darkness here was an entirely different kind. There would be no more stars.

"I was never your spy, why did you tell them I was a spy?" she whispered, not daring to look at him.

"Of course you were a spy, admittedly not a very good one. You took too little interest in their plans. You provided some information however, and the location of their headquarters as well as detailed maps of the surrounding area," he replied, his voice was behind her, she knew she should turn and face him yet she could not bring herself to do so.

"You were watching... through me? I thought I had escaped," said Nicole, her voice quivered a little and she cleared her throat.

He was closer now, she could feel his breath upon her neck.

"You will never escape," he whispered gently.

"Why did you taunt me then, you didn't need to let me out. Did you do it in purpose? Give me a taste of freedom so you could rip it away, just to torture me with it?" asked Nicole staring resolutely ahead.

"It was not about you Seven, you are a tool of The Dark Lord, to be utilized as he sees fit," came the mocking reply. Nicole bit back tears, she had thought she was free, "your usefulness in that position simply reached an end."

His presence was gone from behind her, he was about to leave.

"It would have worked, wouldn't it?" she whispered, "Merlin's spell would have set me free... I could have destroyed you. I was so close."

She turned around to face him, finally meeting his eyes. They burnt through her like a brand into her retina.

"That's why you pulled me out, that's why you would trade your son for a muggle. If you had of left me there I would have destroyed you," her tone was incredulous. He said nothing, his face twisted into a dangerous expression daring her to continue. She should have stopped talking, but realisation had hit her like a freight train and she was still being pulled along by its momentum.

"I... Nicole Archer, a number, a god damn dirty muggle, could have destroyed you because of your own conceited idiocy," she said, her face breaking into a grin of triumph, "I could have won."

The slap came out of nowhere, knocking her off her feet and onto the cold floor. She knew it had been inevitable, but it still scared her. It was followed by another one and Nicole curled up into a ball to protect herself from the blows that she was sure would destroy her but they never came. He instead grabbed her arm pulling her up to face him.

"You would never have broken the curse," he said his quiet tone radiating danger, "You never had a chance you little fool."

"But I was a threat," her voice would not be silenced, it burst from her in her elation, "We can threaten you, even if there's not a drop of magic in our veins we could still win. That means there's hope that someday we could..."

She was cut off by his sudden laughter, he let go off her arm and she fell back to the ground landing painfully on her shoulder.

"You? A threat, what a sad joke you are seven," his cold laughter was sucked into the dank walls thickening the chilling menace of the room, "If you were even remotely dangerous The Dark Lord would have ended your miserable existence long before now. You called me conceited? No my little idiot you are no threat," he looked down at her with heartless mockery, "I think it is time I reminded you exactly what you are."

She skittered away from him, the impulse to run flaring through her nerves. There was nowhere to go. He grabbed onto her ankle and pulled her back. Fear took over and her free leg shot towards his chest in a desperate bid for escape. He grabbed a hold of it before it could reach its target and with a flick of his wand she found herself immobilised.

"Enough," he said, his complexion was reddened by fury, "You will never again attempt to strike me, is that understood Seven."

Nicole could make no answer, she was breathing heavily and her eyes were wide with fear. After a few seconds his anger relented. He pulled her closer and parted her legs, placing himself in between them. He snaked an arm behind her back and pulled her upwards towards him. The way his arms cradled her, one behind her head, the other around her waist was a pure mockery of tenderness.

"This is your purpose Seven, and you should be honoured by it. You should be thankful," he whispered. Every word he spoke pierced her soul with pure shame. Tears fell from her eyes unbidden, Nicole could no longer hold them back.

_This can't happen again, _whispered a despairing voice inside her, _I was free, he promised to help me. _Another part of her kicked back in anger, _**he betrayed you, just like the rest of them**__, _it would not disappear, _He rescued me... he cared enough to save me. __**Then he threw you to the dogs, he didn't trust you. They're all the same and you've always known it. This is your own fault for being such a fool. **__He called me his friend. __**You meant nothing to him. You're to blame for all of this, you brought it on yourself.**_

Her eyes began to blur. If she had been able to control her mouth, she would have been screaming. His lips touched her damp cheek, in what seemed a gentle caress. From him it was a threat. He pulled away, a thoughtful look upon his face.

The hand holding her head up trailed around to clasp her chin.

"Come now, there is no call for tears dear Seven... It appears that you have picked up all manner of bad habits in your absence," he was mocking her as her very soul was breaking, "this is after all your own fault. What I do is for your own good."

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

Something inside Nicole snapped into place and the last of her defiance reared up inside her. She would not allow him that. Calmly she concentrated all of her might on one single action. Despite the strength of his curse she found herself able to slowly turn her head to the side breaking the insistent pressure of his mouth upon hers. Her tears had stopped, she had realised it was not her fault. She had fought with all her might and despite what he had said she had almost won. It was enough for her. In fact it was the greatest victory she had ever felt. _Nothing_ he did could possibly destroy that.

Her eyes darted back to meet his. His face was expressionless but his glare was so intense it sent ice through her almost entirely immobile body.

"Some very bad habits," he said quietly. He removed the support of his arms and she slumped roughly to the ground. He disappeared from her sight, she could no longer move her head to look at him. She felt his knuckles scrape her skin as he undid her jeans and pulled them off. His hands rested momentarily upon her bare thighs, "This is what you are Seven, and all you will ever be."

He was blessedly quick. When he was done he pulled out almost immediately and in the time it took her mind to return to reality he was dressed and staring down at her. She wondered if the hunger ever left his eyes, or if he was so empty inside that he was incapable of being sated. It had been more bearable than the last time, it had not hurt as much. Even his touches had been less amorous. _Maybe he's losing interest,_ a part of her thought hopefully.

"I will return soon," his dark promise permeated the thick air long after he had disappeared.

XOXOX

He was true to his word. After what felt like less than an hour he was back. She had not moved, he had yet to lift the curse, she simply stared at the wall counting the bricks. She had no way to clean herself, no way to remove his stench. He stood staring at her for a while before he knelt down beside her.

"Does it hurt?" he asked gently, there was no guilt in his voice for what he had inflicted upon her. She continued to stare at the wall. _238, 239, 40, _she thought to herself, _41, 42, 243._

"Look at me," he ordered, and she felt him move her head towards him. Their eyes met, "Much better."

His hand stroked her cheek and trailed down to rest upon her neck.

"Why must you force me to hurt you?" he asked her quietly. She stared at him in surprise, if she could have talked she was unsure whether she would have been able to find words.

"If you would just accept things then I could protect you," his fingers lightly grazed her collar bones and her brain was indignant, he was the only thing hurting her, "If she had just listened then I could have saved her... but she was too stubborn, always convinced that she was right."

His eyes stared intently into hers, "But you understand, how this world is, how things work. They never cared about you, your precious resistance. They practically gave you back to me. You were nothing to them. An object to be traded away."

The words stung but she could not deny their truth. _**He's right**__, _she thought, _**They abandoned me, they betrayed me.**_

He smiled lightly, as if he'd heard her thoughts, "I would never let you go so lightly..."

_They didn't all betray me, _claimed an insistent voice demanding her attention, _he helped me, he understood. After everything this world did to him, everything it made him, he still understood compassion. He was like me, just a chip to be bartered in this sick game._

His features clouded over as he looked down at her. Nicole realised he must have been reading her mind.

"You are mine, you fool girl. I own you body and soul, I'm the only reason you still have your pathetic excuse for a life," his tone was furious and his eyes were flashing like lightning. Evidently he did not like being found inferior to his son, "I have saved it more than once, in fact you are in my debt."

_I will never be yours, _screamed the quiet voice inside her head, _You can't simply plant your flag on something and claim it as yours, you'll never do more than dent the surface, and as for saving my life... you can't destroy something to a slightly lesser degree than you could have done and then claim it as kindness._

"Now seven, don't glare at me so," he said gently, seemingly having restrained his anger. He smiled lightly but it never reached his eyes, "You know I have missed your silence, it was so intriguing."

Nicole flared her nostrils in anger, he laughed at her fury. His gaze travelled down her body and he frowned slightly.

"How on earth did you get so... filthy?" he asked quietly. He took out his wand and muttered a spell. She felt as if she'd just been dipped in ice water and then pulled out almost immediately. It left her shivering slightly, but clean. Her clothes seemed to have been returned to her and she felt relief at being covered once again. "You must behave yourself now Seven, The Dark Lord is insisting upon your presence."

The fury left her as she was consumed by pure terror.

OXOXO

"Where is your Muggle Lucius?" the cold high voice asked and Nicole fought the urge to hide behind his bulk. It struck her that she was his muggle now, no longer the mute.

He grabbed a hold of her arm and pushed her forward to face The Dark One. The force of his shove left her on her knees in front of the man. There was silence, no one dared to breathe and the lack of noise was deafening. She studied the design on the ground around her, there were words interwoven with a strange pattern. It could not quite be called a pentagram, it was too complex for that. All Nicole knew was that she was kneeling right in the middle. Common sense and what she had learnt in her research told her that was never a good sign.

"Look at me," ordered that same cruel voice. She met his gaze, she had no choice. His eyes were scarlet. As she was forced to look into them she could not help but wonder at that. Red was supposed to mean many things, danger, anger and passion being the most prominent. Red was the colour of brutal emotions that tore a person into pieces, it was the colour of feeling. Red perhaps more than anything else symbolised humanity. Red was the colour of the death eaters themselves, they clung to their slick silver, their empty black and their cold green, but their violence made them crimson. Red however was not the colour of the man before her. He had lost all claim to so vital a colour, just like she was sure he had no claim to humanity. She knew he was reading her mind, yet she was not afraid. Memories of her time with the resistance were pulled to the front of her consciousness and examined. She wondered if this was her betraying them, it left her feeling ill inside. She hated them all.

_**Wizards are thoughtless fools remember**_, her lesser half reminded her, _**They destroy almost everything they touch and don't even have enough sense to destroy the right things, **_an image of the stone flashed into her head and the presence invading her mind pulled it away from her just as quickly. It seemed that was where his interest lay. _He saved me... __**Oh yeh he really did a fantastic job at that didn't he, he turned his back on me the moment I proved inconvenient I owe him nothing... **__What about Him... _Draco's eyes flashed through her head, so similar to his fathers and yet so very different... _He understood. He did his best, if the son of that monster can have some good in him then surely their not all bad. Maybe they're just desperate._ She reminded herself that The Dark One was in her head and she ought to restrain her thoughts. A part of her found it oddly funny, _**Screw it, if he wants to dig around in my consciousness he can deal with the consequences. **__They're the only thing he can't take away... __**I wonder what other people's thoughts are like**__. Not as interesting as they seem like they would be._

After what seemed to have been an eternity he broke eye contact. The pressure on her mind was gone, yet he seemed unsatisfied.

"Where is it?" he hissed, his voice laced with anger. He was talking to himself, having taken what he needed from her mind he would no doubt ignore her presence. _Or kill me. __**Well aren't I being pessimistic. **__Shut up._

The Dark One turned his gaze on the man stood behind her. Nicole found herself considering the two wondering which was the monster, and which was the creature to be pitied. Was the man without a soul a monster or simply pathetic. Was the man with a soul who followed such a thing even more the fiend, or was he a fool to be pitied his blindness. She suppressed the dangerous thoughts and studied the patterns on the ground.

"Use any means necessary to see that it is retrieved," ordered The Dark One.

Nicole found herself wishing with all her heart that she could get her hands on that _damn stone_. She clenched her fists tightly together in fury, her fingernails bit into her palms so hard they drew blood but she was beyond caring. _I wish I had it in my fist right now so I could smash it to pieces and end this stupidity. I wish I could destroy that stone._

Nicole felt a sudden heaviness in her palm and looked down to see that she was holding something blue in her clenched fist. It felt oddly warm and it seemed to be glowing. She heard an intake of breath from around her as the blue glow became brighter. Without any semblance of coherent thought she smashed her palm down onto the ground and felt the crystal shatter beneath it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here it is... the next piece of my silly imagination and twisty turnyness, all for you to enjoy. This is going in an odd direction so who knows where it will end... I certainly don't. Thank you to all those who reviewed, sorry if I haven't got back to you, I've been a little busy. Any comments on what you think, would be great. Have fun reading it.**

**OXOXO**

There was a yell of something that sounded like pure elation, accompanied by a flash of blinding light. Her eyes snapped shut as she realised that it had been her cry of joy. She had finally ended it.

Her relief lasted only moments. She began to feel a tingling sensation running up her arm. Opening her eyes Nicole found the blinding light had subsided, yet there was still a faint blue glow. She looked down to see shards of icy crystal mingling with her blood. A gentle glimmer appeared to be spreading along the lines of the strange pattern around her. The focal point of the light was travelling up her arm. It seemed to be this which caused the tingling sensation. She watched in horror as it diffused into her chest and the rest of her shaking body.

Her heart was racing as she stared at herself in fear. She was certain that she had just made a monumental mistake. The strange glow faded far more slowly than it had appeared, drawing itself back through the pattern towards her immobile hand. The blue tone faded from her skin as the light condensed into one point in her chest highlighting her slowly beating heart before disappearing completely.

Nicole gasped drawing her bloodied hand up towards her, and cradling it in her other palm. She was unsure what had just happened but she was certain it could be nothing good. Her suspicions were confirmed when a cruel high laugh echoed throughout the room. It filled her with the certainty that somehow something had gone very wrong.

Looking up Nicole met his grey eyes and saw pure fury there, as well as what might possibly be fear. He had not expected this, but The Dark One had. Her gaze darted towards his and she flinched at the icy look of delight held in his eyes. _**Well what did I expect? It couldn't possibly be that easy to destroy the damn thing, **_she thought, _I really hate magic._

Slowly Nicole found her legs and stood up to face the monsters that had destroyed her world, she would not die on her knees. His red eyes bore into hers and Nicole knew he could read everything she was thinking.

"You think I would kill you know? After what you have achieved?" he asked in his high voice, Nicole stared at him without comprehension. Surely this was the end. He broke eye contact and settled his gaze behind her, "Lucius, you know what to do."

He grabbed her arm in a rough grip and dragged her from the room. She heard his followers whispering as she left but she stared at the ground in stunned silence. For the first time since she had been forced to learn her place Nicole was clueless about what the future held. Even more that she had no idea what she had supposedly just achieved. He dragged her down the hallway and as they walked no sound escaped his lips. She thought he would return her to her cell, but he shoved her inside a completely different room.

Nicole had no time to take in her surroundings, her eyes were fixed on his face as she perceived a thunderous look of anger marring his features. He grabbed her hand and muttered a curse healing it, when he let it go his rage had not abated. The storm was about to hit.

"You stupid, stupid girl, do you have any idea what you've done?" Never before had his wrath been this fierce. He had never done more than smirk at her, always in control. Yet know it was as if some even darker part of him had taken over, he practically radiated fury.

She cowered away from him, taking a step backwards in her fear.

"You are a fool, a dirty stupid muggle with no concept of self preservation," he yelled at her. Nicole stared at him in terror as she felt tears in her eyes. She did not understand what was happening. At the sight of her tears he seemed to visibly restrain himself, controlling his anger. He reached out and placed his hand upon her shoulder.

"I don't understand," she whispered dropping her gaze, "What did I do?"

All was silent for a while before she heard a soft sigh escape his lips, "The Dark Lord will reveal to you what he deems necessary, I cannot tell you what you have become."

He sounded almost gentle, it was the tone he had used when he thought she was unconscious.

"I can no longer protect you," he said his voice filled with regret.

Nicole's head whipped up and she stared at him in shock, her mind struck dumb by what she had just heard.

"Protect me…?" she asked in disbelief, "When have you ever protected me?"

The gentleness left his face at once and she found herself staring at a mask, but all she felt was outrage "You murdered my friends, destroyed my life and ripped away my freedom not once but twice… you… you raped me. You burnt the only picture I had of her, and now I can't even remember her face. You destroyed everything I loved and beat me to within an inch of my life… At what point did you ever protect me?"

He took a step closer to her closing the distance between them, his face was still blank and she felt her outrage turn to fear. He reached out and grabbed her hair wrenching her head backwards.

"You really are a stupid creature," he said quietly, his voice was pure ice and Nicole found her body began to shake, "Do you have any idea how much you could have suffered? Your friend was dead the moment that glass embedded itself in her chest, if I had left you with her my associates would have found you and you would have suffered a far worse fate. Your silence was not as objectionable to many of our number as you presumed, some found it quite appealing I daresay if it were not for my interference you would have found yourself used far more often." She wanted nothing more than to flinch away from him, but his grip in her hair held her in place, "I already told you, those drawings could have gotten you killed. You were insolent and stupid to steal from us, in burning them before anyone else could find them I saved your life." He leaned in closer, his eyes glittered coldly, "I never inflicted a bruise which would not heal. Considering what you are and the way your kind is usually treated I have been gentle."

He let go of her and she stumbled away staring at him without comprehension. How could he claim kindness.

"You ripped me to shreds," she whispered, "You may have protected me from your _associates_, but you never spared me. You defended me only to satisfy yourself. None of it was for me… _You_ destroyed me Lucius."

Nicole felt something inside her change, she had finally done it. She had finally found the strength to name him. She looked him in the eye for the first time without a shadow of fear.

"I thank you, for all the pain which you have saved and protected me from," she told him, "but for what you have done to me… I despise you, Lucius."

His expression was once again unreadable. He showed neither fury nor hurt at her statement. He did not strike her for using his name. Their eyes remained linked and they stared at one another in silence for what seemed to Nicole a very long time.

"Be that as it may," he finally stated, "I can do nothing further for you now, either way… Nicole."

The last part was barely a whisper and she was unsure whether she had heard him correctly. He could not have possibly done what she thought he had. His dropped his gaze and exited the room, leaving her shocked to the core.

**XOXOX**

Nicole was not alone for long. She finally had the chance to take stock of the room in which she had been left. There was a small bed and a desk, as well as a sink and even a window which showed her the beginnings of predawn light. Although there were bars upon it she could thankfully see no shackles. It was not as reassuring as it might have been, considering that if a wizard wanted you immobilized all they needed was a wand.

A loud cracking noise splintered the air and she found herself for the second time that day face to face with The Dark One. Nicole stayed perfectly still as she stared at him in blank terror. She had no idea what to do. Coming to her senses quickly she dropped her gaze and fell to her knees, praying he would not hurt her for her insolence, and desperate for him to tell her what she had done.

He said nothing to her. It was terrifying staring at his feet with no idea what would happen next. She felt his hand upon her forehead and was amazed that he lowered himself to touch someone like her. Somewhere inside her chest a piece of her that she had never before known existed shifted. Nicole felt something pull on it and it was as if her very soul was being drained away. A whimper slipped from her lips at the sensation.

"Do not be afraid, this will not harm you," he stated, his voice seemed as if he meant it to be comforting but his excitement lay heavily underneath it and its presence scared her even more. After what seemed an eternity of the deadly pull he removed his hand. Nicole swayed a little but managed to remain upright. A blue glow emanated from the man in front of her, he moved his hand slightly and behind her the sink shattered.

If she had raised her eyes Nicole might have seen the smirk that graced The Dark Ones features. She could feel his gaze bearing down upon her and she stared resolutely at his feet. She had never been more afraid in her entire life. It took everything in her to fight back tears. She was eternally glad she managed to do so as she had often heard that he punished such weakness more severely than insolence.

"Stand up," he ordered her, Nicole obliged him but kept her gaze upon the floor. Without another word he snaked his arm around her waist and she felt the familiar agony of apparation. As soon as it was over he let her go and she stumbled backwards.

"You will stay here from now on. You will be able to roam the house and some of the grounds, but if you attempt to move beyond the boundaries you will feel agonizing pain and I will know you have attempted to escape. Your punishment for doing so will be extremely severe," he informed her, his voice sounded like a snake. "You have pleased me Nicole."

Her eyes left the ground as she looked at him in astonishment. Not only had she delighted him by destroying the stone, which was the absolute opposite of her intent, he had also used her name. It seemed unbelievable and she found herself wondering once again what on earth she had done when she smashed the thing, remembering herself she quickly looked away. His hand reached out and he lifted her chin forcing Nicole to look him in the eye.

"You will not be alone here, there will be another with you but it is up to him to introduce himself," he informed her, his red gaze boring into her as he read her soul.

"What is this place?" she whispered, scared to talk to him.

"The safest place in the world, it is where I keep my most prized possessions," he informed her, "No one can break through the wards surrounding it. I will return when I have need of you."

The pressure was removed from her chin as he disappeared into thin air. Nicole slumped to the ground and hugged her knees to her chest. Out of the window she could see dawn lighting the cloudy skies. It had been a long and supremely crappy night.

**OXOXO**

When Nicole next awoke she found herself in a bed. Afternoon light streamed through the side of the curtains and she rolled over with a smile. _It must have been a good party last night, _she thought happily, _mum would have never let me sleep this late if I wasn't in a bad way. _Her body felt awful, as if it had been hit repeatedly with a sledge hammer, and there was an ache between her legs that told her she had probably done something silly _yep must have been a really good night. _She found herself trying to remember some details of the previous evening. It was at that point that she recalled a pair of red eyes. The memory produced shocked clarity and she slowly sat up staring around the room.

"Bugger," she whispered, it was most definitely not her bedroom. The weight of memory crashed down upon her and Nicole bit her lip to distract herself from the pain of it.

"I really, really, really hate wizards," she muttered getting out of the bed. For once her better self stayed quiet on the subject, not even attempting to ply her consciousness with reasonable argument. In a moment of pure frustration she picked up a suspicious glass of what appeared to be water from the bedside table and threw it at the wall.

There was a supremely satisfying smash as it shattered into lots of litter pieces, just the way glass was supposed to smash. The sight of it on the floor however stilled Nicole almost completely. It dragged unpleasant memories to the surface, '_I don't want to be alone__**.'**_

The broken and dangerous shards disappeared as a full glass of water reappeared upon the table. The memory of Melanie's voice and the gut wrenching feeling of loss that came with it were not so easily erased.

Shaking her head to pull herself together Nicole took in her surroundings. There was a single door in the wall, the window had thick curtains drawn across it but deep yellow light still escaped around the edges. She opened them and found herself staring out of a second floor window at a small garden which was bordered on all sides by woodland.

"Wizards and their woods," she muttered to herself before catching sight of a dark head down in the garden. There was a small flower patch beside the house and to her utter surprise the person down there appeared to be… pruning.

Nicole realized that this must be the person The Dark One mentioned, her only companion in this new prison. She could not help but feel relief that at least this time it was not a cell she was trapped in. She took stock of herself, she appeared to be in pyjamas, but was unsure when that happened precisely. She really hoped it was just the magic of the place that had caused it. Otherwise there would probably be a few awkward conversations with her new house mate.

_Who is he? _She wondered.

On the top of his head she could see a mop of unruly black hair, and she could just about make out a pair of gold glasses. Looking down at him she was forced to consider if he was a friend or foe. The Dark One had indicated that she was a possession, was the man in the garden one to, or was he an extremely powerful wizard who guarded the possessions. Nicole sighed to herself in defeat as she went in search of a bathroom. Whoever he was, he could wait until after she had used the facilities.

Once she had washed, and put on some clothes she found in the dresser, Nicole returned to the window to see the boy had moved on to weeding. After watching him at his work for a while she took a deep breath and went out to meet him. She prayed he was friendly, after last night she really needed a friend.

**XOXOX**

"Hello," she called out firmly breaking his concentration. His head whipped round and a look of pure shock registered on his features. He stared at her without recognition, _**well that sorts out the pyjama problem.**_

"Who are you?" he asked in surprise. He slowly stood up maintaining a firm hold upon the weed he had just pulled from the ground, which looked oddly like it was squirming.

"Do you want my name, number or my status?" she replied quietly, unsure as of yet what to make of him.

"The first is good enough for me," he replied guardedly. Nicole wondered why he looked like he was bracing himself for an attack.

"Its Nicole, and just so you know I'm a muggle," she told him.

"Oh," he said quietly, he seemed a little unsure, "Why are you here?"

"I smashed something I shouldn't have," replied Nicole vaguely unsure how much she could trust him, "How about you, what's your name?"

"I… I don't know," he replied seeming vaguely unsure.

"Don't you remember?" she asked, he looked angry with himself as he shook his head, "Are you a wizard?"

"Yes," he answered with certainty and it seemed to reassure him, "I know for a fact that I'm a wizard, but I just don't know which wizard I am."

"Oh," said Nicole unsure what to do, "Do you know why you're here?"

There was a short silence before he answered, "I have… something which belongs to him."

"To the Dark One?" she asked, he nodded. "Well it seems we have a similar problem."

There was a short silence whilst Nicole wondered how best to continue with this strange man.

"What are you doing?" She queried, unable to contain her curiosity. Both their gazes fell upon his hand where the weed had stopped squirming and was now only twitching faintly. He dropped it in the bucket beside him as if in guilt.

"Nothing," came his too quick reply.

"I… I won't tell anyone," she informed him, after all who did she have to tell.

He sighed and looked at her thoughtfully, "I'm weeding."

"I can see that," said Nicole with the slightest trace of sarcasm, he looked nonplused, "Do you spend a lot of time out here?"

"Well there's not much else to do," he replied.

"Do you have a kitchen?" she asked, he gazed at her thoughtfully, an unknowable expression in his green eyes, it looked oddly like loneliness, "it's just I haven't eaten in a while."

"I'll show you where it is, we can make dinner?" he seemed unsure again.

"If you're not busy out here?" she said.

"No I'm just about finished," he replied with the slightest ghost of a smile.

**OXOXO**

Dinner was a very awkward affair. There were many sharp breaths when one of them thought of something to say, and then decided not to. After all what could one say to a fellow captive, especially when you had no idea of their loyalties?

"How long have you been here?" Nicole finally asked unable to endure the silence any longer. She was mashing potatoes, despite being a wizard he seemed to completely avoid doing magic, so dinner was made the manual way with chopping and grilling and boiling.

"Since Hogwarts fell," he replied seemingly grateful for something to say, "I was captured on the battle field."

"So you were a part of the resistance?"

He looked up and defiance burnt in his eyes, "I would never have willingly served him."

There was a pause as they sized each other up. Nicole was unsure whether his being against The Dark One meant anything. After all wizards as a whole were the route of her problems one side had enslaved her the other had betrayed her.

"What about you? Is he your master?" he asked, the hatred in his tone took her aback.

"I tried to help the resistance, and they betrayed me. The dark ones destroyed my life and everything I ever cared about. I want nothing to do with either side," she told him, meeting the anguish in his green eyes with her own, "In all honesty, I hate wizards as a whole for being hypocritical, selfish and cruel. They could go about killing one another and if they left muggles out of it my life would be greatly improved. Being forced to bow to someone does not make them your master."

There was silence for a while and she added a little milk to the potatoes. Eventually he sighed and she looked up to find a apology in his face.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"Why are you sorry, none of its your fault," she told him gently, he had done nothing to deserve her hatred. She put the pan down and turned to face him.

"I… I feel like it is," he told her in the quiet tone of confession, "I feel like somehow I failed at something I was supposed to do. I feel like everything that's happened is all my fault."

"It's not your fault," she said surprising them both by placing her hand upon his shoulder, "The blame for all of this rests squarely at the feet of The Dark One, and if he ever dies I hope there is something worse than hell because eternal damnation is far too good for him."

She picked up the potatoes and they continued to work in silence, this time however it was not uncomfortable. They had reached an understanding. Namely that they both hated The Dark One, it was a good thing to know.

When dinner was finished they sat down to eat. It was not the best food they had ever tasted. Nicole had never worked in the kitchens and before her enslavement had not spent much time there either. Her companion seemed to be in the same situation despite the fact that he had obviously been feeding himself for quite some time now. She dragged through her memories and tried to remember what Hogwarts was. She kept coming up blank and finally decided to ask him.

He took a while to reply, he stared at his plate for a very long time.

"It was a school," he finally answered, "A sort of wizard secondary school where we learnt about magic. It was a good place. It was destroyed in a battle when he took over. I don't know what's happened to it. I hope it still exists, but I dread to think what he's turned it into."

"I'm sorry," said Nicole quietly, the topic seemed to hurt him, she was struck by a sudden idea "If you were at Hogwarts, can you remember who you were at Hogwarts?"

He looked at her blankly, "what do you mean?"

She jumped up in excitement, "The place was important to you, maybe if you think about it for long enough it will help you to remember who you are."

Realization dawned on his face and with it came an infinite look of sadness, "No Nicole, I won't be able to do that."

"Why not?" she asked in confusion sitting back down.

"I… I don't want to remember who I am," he told her quietly, he sounded so lost and lonely that it broke her heart.

They returned to eating in silence, until he took a deep breath. Nicole's eyes snapped up to his as she waited for him to speak.

"I know I shouldn't ask, since I haven't even told you my name, but… but I was wondering if you would tell me why he bought you here," he paused as she stared at him in consideration, "You don't have to if you don't want to I…"

"I'll tell you," she cut him off, "At least I'll tell you what I know, I don't really understand what any of it means."

She told him all about the stone, and how she had vowed to destroy it, as well as about her escape and her help to the resistance in warning them about the power the crystal held. She told him how she had searched for a way to unbind her tongue and how the resistance had mistakenly assumed she meant to betray them. How they had traded her for Draco. She left out anything about Lucius, he was something she was unwilling to share. She finished by telling him how she had been bought before The Dark One.

"He had just read my mind in search of the damn thing and he was unsatisfied. I was knelt there in the middle of that strange pattern, my fingernails digging into my palms so hard they drew blood and I remember wishing I had the stone. So that I could take it away from him, I wanted with all my heart for it to appear in my hand so I could destroy it. That was when it appeared, and I smashed it. I was so sure he would kill me for what I had done, but I had beaten him. Then everything started glowing and it all drew back into my chest."

She looked up to meet his eyes and found him staring at her intently, "I don't know what it is I did, but for some reason he seemed pleased. After that he brought me here."

There was silence as he seemed to consider this for a while.

"I remember doing something like that once," he finally said, "I can't really remember the details… what happened to you sounds like some odd sort of ritual. You wanted with all your heart to protect the world from what the stone could do… so it picked you to protect it."

"Protect it?" she asked him in confusion, "I destroyed it."

"Magic works in funny ways. I'm just guessing here, I don't really know too much about this sort of thing. It seems like from the way you described it, you absorbed whatever was inside the stone," he informed her.

"How..? Why on earth would that happen?" she stared at him nonplused.

"Because you didn't want it," he replied, "I bet you he couldn't unlock the stones powers, he wanted them for himself, for evil. You wanted the stone to do something truly good with it, so it came to you. It became a part of you."

"I hate magic, I really hate magic," she told him as anger bubbled up inside her, "and I hate wizards the sneaky, conniving, backstabbing…"

Her plate hit the wall and it took her a second to realize she had thrown it. A feeling of calm once again washed over her and she slumped back into her chair.

A clean empty plate appeared before her at the table and the splatter of food and pottery sliding down the wall disappeared.

"The house doesn't like mess," he informed her in a subdued manner, apparently he had not expected her anger.

"He can use whatever power was in the stone now," she told him quietly, "He pulled some of it out of me before he brought me here. I bet he set the whole thing up, he knew I wanted nothing more than to destroy the thing and I played right into his hands."

She felt his hand on top of her own and looked up to find understanding written across his face.

"He does that to people," he told her, "He manipulates them into giving him what he wants. It's not your fault."

It felt odd having her own words repeated back to her. She could appreciate now how hollow they sounded.

"He caused all this, no one else," there was silence for a while after that, each immersed in their own thoughts.

**XOXOX**

Days passed slowly in the strange house. Nicole found herself getting to know her companion. He spent a lot of time in the garden, it seemed he hated being cooped up inside. A sort of friendship had begun to develop between them and despite the fact that he was a wizard she trusted him. They were both after all in a similar bind. She sometimes wondered late at night if she would be trapped in this place forever. After everything that had happened she was not sure if she minded.

They were sat in the garden one day. She was sketching one of the flowers which she was quite certain had just winked at her, and he was watering the shrubs. The silence was companionable each engrossed in their tasks until a thought occurred to her. Putting down her pencil she turned to look at him, he looked like he was brooding. Nicole had gotten quite used to this aspect of him.

"You know you really need a name," she told him blandly.

He looked up in surprise, "I don't remember it."

"Well then how about we make up a new one… that way I have something to call you," he seemed to consider it for a moment before he nodded. He put his watering can down and turned to face her.

"What do you want to call me?" he asked quietly.

"Don't you want to pick one yourself?" she replied curiously, "I mean it's going to be your name."

"No you pick it, after all you'll be calling me by it, what do you think my name should be?" he said.

"Humm…" said Nicole considering him, "Well you don't look like a Barry," he flinched a little at that, "no definitely not, Mark doesn't seem quite right either, it's got to be a good one. So that rules out Tom, Dick or Harry," she was so absorbed in thought she missed him shifting uncomfortably, "How about John, John Doe or John Smith maybe?"

"Is that really the best you could come up with?" he asked with a grin, "All those names out there and you picked John, I must be so… average."

"You're not average," she told him quickly, "You're the only nice wizard I've ever met."

"That is depressing, you can't have met many of us then," he said his grin still in place.

"Only the best and the worst," she replied matching his smile with her own.

"Then I must be average, it seems that only average wizards are outside your experience," she got the distinct feeling that he was mocking her.

"Fine," she said goaded into thinking outside the box, "I didn't really think you looked like a Raphael."

"I don't feel like one either," he replied quickly.

She stared at him for a moment, considering options and then discarding one after another until she found one that fit. She had no idea why but it just seemed right for him.

"I think you're a James," she told him and was met with silence, "Yes definitely a James."

"Are… are you sure?" he was staring at her intently and Nicole was unsure whether or not to proceed, still the name fitted him.

"Yeh it seems about right to me, can't tell you why, but it seems to fit you," she said.

"If you're sure," he seemed sad about something, and oddly proud, he cleared his throat and picked up the watering can, "By the way the aramanthia stole your pencil."

Nicole turned around to glare at the flower, she knew it had winked at her.

"Give it back," she told the plant in a dangerous tone, "Or I'll rub you out of my sketch book."

Before she could make good on her threat her pencil rolled out from beneath the plant roots, she might have been mistaken but she was almost certain she heard James laughing at her.

**OXOXO**

"James," she called out gently, "James where are you?"

She checked the garden and the kitchen to no avail. She could not find him anywhere, it was strange to say the least. He was usually about somewhere, brooding or laughing, he seemed to switch regularly between the two.

"No! I will never serve you Voldermort," yelled a voice in the living room, Nicole turned to look at the slightly ajar door in fear.

"You already do," came the cold reply, "Or have you forgotten the deal we made."

"You stay away from Ginny," James sounded furious she had not known his voice was capable of that much anger.

"The only reason I have to hurt her is because of you, boy," the words came out like a hiss, Nicole wanted to creep away but she was frozen in fear, "You know she has moved on already. How ironic, you sacrifice all for love and she betrays you. Do you see now why there is no use for the emotion. That old fools greatest weapon, and it destroyed the resistance."

"Shut up," shouted James, "Leave me alone… I'm glad. There not defeated and at least she can find some happiness."

The Dark One laughed at him, "The resistance will fall, it's only a matter of time. They can't hold out much longer when their boy savoir has turned his back on them, when the great Harry Potter grovels at my feet."

Nicole frowned in confusion, James real name was Harry Potter, she wondered why it seemed familiar.

"It's been how long now? A year or more since Hogwarts… since you figured out our master plan, yet you still haven't beaten them," said James/Harry, the defiance clear in his tone, she had never heard him sound so alive, "I don't think they need a savior, there doing just fine kicking your pale ass without me."

The Dark One hissed something and James screams rang out throughout the house. Nicole stood frozen for a few seconds before spotting a pan in the kitchen. All was quiet for a moment.

"You really are a fool," said The Dark One lazily before he said the same cruel word as before and the agonized screams started again.

Nicole grabbed the pan and without thinking burst into the room and bashed The Dark One over the head. James screams stopped as the monster crumpled to the floor and their eyes met as relief turned to horror. She was frozen in the realization of what she had done, James stood slowly and their eyes both darted to the greatest dark wizard of all time. He was unconscious on the floor.

"Oh shit," muttered Nicole, she had the strong impression that whatever happened next it was going to be painful.

**XOXOX**

**There it is, I wonder what will happen next… honestly your guess is as good as mine.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well here it is enjoy, or don't it's up to you.**

XOXOX

The room was filled with silence as the pair regarded the problem in front of them. It could potentially mean many things for Nicole and as they ran through her head she came to the realisation that none of them were pleasant.

"Oh..." she breathed unable to think of a word vile enough to sum up their current predicament, "What... what do we do?"

James cleared his throat nervously and their eyes met in a flash of panic, "get out of here, hide the sauce pan... I'll pretend it was wand less magic. He'll never know it was you."

"Won't he read it from your mind?" asked Nicole and his face fell.

"Damn it," he breathed quietly.

"Can we escape? While he's unconscious can we run?" she said desperately but he was already shaking his head.

"The wards are still up, and they're impenetrable," he replied, his face was panicked.

"Can you use his wand?" she wondered, "You could kill him, and then we could try and escape."

"I... I can't," said James quietly, "He made it so I can't curse him. I can't so much as cast a stupefy his way."

An air of despair hung around the pair, and Nicole had time to consider the fact she was annoyed that they could not murder someone. The thought was unsettling, yet The Dark One was defenceless at their feet. They owed it to the world to at least try to do something.

"You can't curse him," said Nicole quietly, she gripped the sauce pan tighter as an idea occurred to her, "But I hit him over the head with a sauce pan."

James looked at her in shock as comprehension slowly dawned upon him.

"There are knives in the kitchen," he informed her, "maybe he overlooked them."

Nicole ran into the kitchen, shoving the sauce pan onto the counter she rummaged furiously through the cutlery draws and grabbed a steak knife. She returned to the living room at the same pace and as she stood in the doorway their eyes met once again. Without a word he took the knife and walked towards the unconscious man. He made it three steps before he stopped suddenly and let out a moan of frustration.

"I can't go any closer," he said bitterly, "The curse won't let me."

Nicole took the knife from him, seeing the apology written across his face. If he could not do this then it was up to her. She knelt down beside The Dark One and surveyed the sleeping inhuman face of the man she had to kill. At no point had she ever intended to be a murderer. _It seems like justice_, she mused as she raised the knife, _The darkest wizard of all time slain by a muggle._

She took a deep breath and her knife hand plummeted downwards.

Red eyes flew open and her wrist was caught before it made contact. Behind her James let out a strangled yell as he was thrown backwards by a spell from the wand neither of them had thought to remove from The Dark Ones grasp.

There was a dreadful silence as his hand gripped hers over the knife, welding her fist to it. Nicole could not help the whimper that escaped her lips.

"I am most disappointed in you Nicole," he informed her, his voice dangerously low, "I thought I warned you not to disappoint me."

He wrenched her hand around and forced the knife towards her. She thrashed desperately trying to get away as his other hand pushed her towards the floor and he used his weight to pin her down.

"Where were you going to stab me?" he asked her quietly, he moved the knife over her chest, "In the heart? I thought you knew I don't have one."

"Please..." she begged him, she had never been more afraid in her entire life, Lucius had never been able to make her feel such all encompassing terror.

"Pleading doesn't work with me," he informed her moving the knife up and resting it against her neck, "would you have slit my throat Nicole? It seems I must return the favour."

She stared at him silently, her eyes wide in fear, as he seemed to wonder where best to place the knife.

"Perhaps not," he said quietly, "I could kill you now, but what a waste that would be... You do however need to learn the proper respect."

He regarded her coldly until he seemed to make up his mind. She had only a moment's notice before he wrenched their hands away from her throat and plunged the knife into her stomach.

A scream of pure agony escaped her lips as it pierced the tender flesh and tears began to stream down her face. She had never known anything could hurt so badly.

He leaned in closely and whispered in her ear, "Who am I Nicole?"

"The Dark One," she gasped through her tears. The knife twisted in her gut and she screamed again, it was evidently not the answer he was looking for.

"Who am I?" he asked again, his merciless eyes staring into hers.

"The Dark Lord?" another wrench on the knife told her he was after something else.

"Who am I?" His voice was so cold that Nicole found herself shivering, tears obscured her vision and she prayed for the pain to end.

"My Lord," she cried out. There was a pause, he did not seem satisfied yet.

"And...?" he demanded of her. She was forced to comply, Nicole was certain that the pain would soon kill her.

"Master," she told him, "You are my master."

"Good girl," he said quietly, smoothing the hair that was plastered to her forehead with sweat.

He wrenched the knife out of her gut and she lost consciousness.

...

Nicole awoke to feel pain. It pooled in her stomach and even the slightest movement made tears spring to her eyes. They ran down her face thick and warm. It seemed he would not allow her even momentary escape. When she opened her eyes they were met once again by a pair of red ones.

"I am not finished with you yet girl," he informed her coldly, she bit back the urge to scream.

He placed his hand on her stomach, the gaping knife wound had disappeared along with the blood, but the agony was ever present. She felt a pull in her chest once again. A blue glow travelled up his arm in pulsing rings as if he were stealing her heartbeats. After what felt like far too long he broke contact.

Standing he glared down at her, the barely contained fury in his gaze made her shiver. His eyes seemed alight with the power he had just harvested, the sight of him was truly terrifying.

"If you ever attempt to attack me again..." his words trailed off, the threat in his tone need not be vocalised. She was certain that it would be far worse than the punishment she had just received.

She stared at him in silent terror and he seemed satisfied.

"Potter, get up," he ordered his voice dripping with malice. She heard a shuffling sound as James stood behind her. She was too petrified to take her gaze from her master, "Now where were we? Ah yes I remember."

He hissed that same horrible spell and James screams echoed through the isolated house. She could not move for the pain in her stomach. As much as she wanted to there was no way for her to still James' screams. Instead she closed her eyes and prayed that it would be over soon. Her prayers were ignored.

OXOXO

The silence over the breakfast table the next day was strained. The night before, after The Dark One had left, they had both lain in the living room for what had seemed to be hours. James had been the first to recover and he had helped Nicole up to her room. The morning had come and a silence pervaded the air, both present wished to apologise but words were yet to be spoken.

"Thank you," said Nicole finally breaking the ice, James spoon halted half way up to his mouth as he waited for her to continue, "For helping me get to bed last night, I appreciate it."

"No problem," he replied quickly, there was a short pause whilst she took a sip of her tea, "Is your stomach ok?"

The Dark One may have healed the wound but the pain remained as punishment.

"Its bearable," she informed him with a wince, there was silence once again, "So your real names Harry huh?"

"Yes," he said quietly.

"And I'm assuming you remember who you are?" she said, he nodded, "so the question is, should I call you James or Harry."

He looked up at her in shock.

"Don't you want to know who I am?" he asked disbelief evident in his tone.

"Do you want to tell me?" she said uncertainly. He shook his head.

"No, not really," he took a deep breath and one of his hands gripped the table hard enough for his knuckles to turn white, "but I guess I owe it to you to explain."

"You don't have to," she reminded him. In all honesty she was unsure whether she wanted him to tell her. She liked James as he was, he seemed on the way to becoming a good friend and she was unsure if she was ready for him to turn into someone else.

"No but I need to," he said meeting her eyes, "You see it all started when he murdered my parents..."

Nicole sat there in silence as the boy before her slowly told her about his life. There was a lot to tell and by the time his story was nearing the end the sun had risen high into the sky.

"So I discovered from Snape's memories that I was one of the Horcrux's. That left only me and the snake. I don't know if Ron and Hermione have got Nagini by now but..." he paused a moment a look of sadness on his face, the friends he had described sounded like key figures in the resistence. From listening to him she had learnt a lot about the people she had known at the headquarters "I went out there to face him, to let him kill me, I didn't even draw my wand. I was a fool. He was going to kill me, I could see it on his face, and then like an idiot I thought about the Horcrux's. He must have gotten suspicious because he didn't just Avada me, he read my mind. Voldermort found out what he inadvertently created all those years ago. After that he brought me here."

"You've been here all this time?" she asked him quietly.

"Yes, I Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, am doomed to probably bloody well spend eternity here," he told her with bitterness in his tone.

"So you should be at least nineteen right?" she continued quietly following her train of thought through, "If not almost twenty."

"That's what you pick up on from my life story?" he asked in disbelief, "my age?"

"It's just that Harry," the name felt strange to her, she was having a hard time reconciling it with the boy before her, "You've been here at least two years, yet you only look about seventeen, maybe eighteen at a push. I know it sounds odd, but you should look older. I've known enough guys in my time to tell you that a seventeen year old looks very different to a twenty year old."

"What are you saying?" he asked quietly.

"Have you changed at all since you've been here?" said Nicole, something was prickling at the back of her mind, some sense of something she had read in one of the useless tomes so few weeks ago at the resistance head quarters. "Have you gotten any new scars, or... anything at all?"

"He seemed to think about it for a few moments before shaking his head, "No I... I don't think so..."

"Be sure Harry," she told him heatedly slapping her hand down on the table, "This is really important."

"No," he told her, "Nothing has changed, but what could that mean?"

She sat back and stared at him as the cogs in her brain juddered to a shocking conclusion.

"Whatever this place is... time doesn't exist here," she told him quietly, "Or at least it doesn't effect our bodies. I wonder if it's even possible for us to die here?"

He looked at her as realization hit him, "How could that be possible?"

"You're the wizard, you tell me," she snapped.

"No it's impossible, that simply just isn't plausible, maybe I just stopped growing?" said Harry, "I'm not sure even magic could create something outside of time."

"I think I know how to tell," she said quietly, as an idea struck her forcefully, "I passed out when he pulled the knife out yesterday, but when I came to my stomach was healed. What if he didn't actually heal me? What if my body just reverted back to the state it was when I arrived here? Think Harry have you ever cut yourself? If so how long did those wounds take to heal?"

He looked confused for a while before he spoke.

"I don't know, I honestly don't think I've physically wounded myself since I've been here," he told her quietly a frown pushing the messy hair off his forehead.

"So let's test the theory," she said quietly.

He looked up at her warily.

"What exactly would that entail?" he asked nervously.

"Do we still have any knives?" came her uncertain reply.

In less than a minute a knife lay between them upon the table and the two teenagers stared at it in apprehension. Neither made a move to pick it up, the situation they faced was extremely uncomfortable.

"So..." said Nicole indecision clear in her tone, "Should you do it or should I?"

He looked up at her and she could see sudden determination written across his face.

"I'll do it," he said firmly, "I think you've had enough knife wounds for one week. Plus with you we can't tell if it's whatever power that was inside the stone that's interfering."

"Oh..." she said quietly, "Are you sure?"

"Certain," he told her picking up the knife.

Harry took a deep breath before he dragged the blade across his arm creating a shallow cut. He let out a gasp of pain and the two stared at the wound expectantly. For a few long moments nothing happened, just as Nicole was beginning to think she was wrong the wound started to shrink. They stared in abject fascination as the cut disappeared and Harrys skin was sewn seamlessly back together.

There was silence in the small kitchen as their eyes met and they stared at one another in wonder.

"How is that even possible," exclaimed Nicole.

"Don't ask me, you figured it out," he replied in a tone of equal amazement. Whilst she sat there attempting to process the new development a thought occurred to Harry and his features clouded over.

"What?" she asked picking up on his sudden change of mood.

"You realise this means that..." he paused a look of horror on his face, "This means we could really literally be here forever."

"What do you mean?" She said, as understanding began to flow through her.

"If this means we can't die, then we could be here forever... and no one will be able to kill Voldermort. We could be trapped in this bloody house..."

"For all eternity," she finished in disbelief as the weight of what he was saying crashed down upon her.

"I really hate wizards," she muttered under her breath.

"Same," said Harry just as quietly.

XOXOX

Time passed in their timeless realm and the irony of it was not lost on Nicole. She often found herself wondering when exactly it became so normal. The days slid by with them both attempting to find ways to entertain themselves, but the unchanging isolation was unbearable for her.

"How did you handle being alone here for two bloody years," she finally snapped as he once again watered the garden, "I can't have been here more than a month and I'm already bored stiff."

He shrugged his shoulders lightly, "I kept myself entertained."

"How?" she asked him in expiration.

"I garden," he said turning to face her with a small smile, "it's not really something I ever saw myself doing, but it fills the time."

"Great," she told him quietly, "Just perfect, were going to live forever doing meaningless menial tasks. It's just how I always wanted to spend eternity."

"You know you complain too much," he replied, turning back to water his roses.

"And you just accept things the way they are and don't even bother trying to change them," she retorted with a glare, "I refuse to spend forever in this stupid house."

He turned around and directed a glare at her.

"What exactly do you want me to do about it?" he snapped back at her, "I'm just as powerless here as you."

"But you're a wizard," she yelled, Nicole was uncertain where all this anger towards him had come from, and at that second she did not care, all she wanted was to shout at someone, "You're supposed to be able to solve everything with just a wave of your wand. If you're all so superior then why don't you act like it, or are you really just a mediocre coward?"

He was silent and she thought for a moment she may have gone too far, it was not after all his fault.

"In case you've forgotten, I don't have a wand," he shouted in expiration, "I can't change any of this, and I'd appreciate it if you'd just shut the hell up for once."

They glared at each other and she wanted nothing more than to slap him, instead she stood and turned away from him.

"Fine," she replied quietly, "I'll see you later, it's not like I can avoid you."

She stomped back into the house and rushed up the stairs to her room. Slamming the door behind her she slumped down onto her bed as she felt the strangest urge to cry. _**He deserved it, he's nothing but another stupid wizard, **_she told herself biting her lip to fight off tears. _No he didn't. He did not deserve to be shouted at, he's done nothing wrong and I bloody well acted like a child._

Tears spilled out of her eyes and she found herself hating her own actions. _James has never done anything wrong, __**But he's not James is he, he's Harry, he didn't even trust me enough to tell me who he was. **__He tried to save me, he would have taken the blame for the saucepan if he could. He may not necessarily be who I thought he was but he's not a coward. He's just helpless, just like me._

"Aaagh," she yelled into her pillow in frustration. She sat up and wiped her eyes before walking to the window and staring down at where his black head should have been. It was not there. Nicole glanced around the garden in an attempt to catch sight of him and saw him headed towards the shed. Steeling herself she decided to go down and apologise. She knew when she was in the wrong.

A few minutes later she opened the shed door.

"Harry, I'm so sorry..." she stopped short staring around. It most definitely did not look like the interior of a gardening shed.

"Nicole," he said looking up at her with guilt written over his face. She did not answer him, she was too busy looking around herself in shock.

The inside of the small hut was bigger than it had previously seemed. A variety of strange herbs and plants hung from around the walls. In one corner there was a work bench covered in snapped and bent twigs, and right in the centre was a large bubbling cauldron. Slowly she closed the door behind her and stepped inside.

"So this is what all the gardening is about?" she asked quietly. He cleared his throat and nodded awkwardly.

"Yeh," he said quietly, "I uhm... I..."

"You've been trying to make a wand?" she said looking at the work bench in the corner.

"Yeh," he said finding his voice, "But it's useless, I've got the wood and the ingredients for the potion, but there's nothing to use for a core. I need a magical creature or object," he sighed, "it doesn't matter now anyway, he'll read it from your mind and it'll have all been for nothing."

He sat down heavily on the floor and Nicole thought he might be about to cry in frustration. She slumped beside him feeling guilty, _**I couldn't have known, he never told me not to come here, **__but I should have knocked._ They sat in despairing silence for a while before a thought occurred to her.

"You know," she said quietly, "technically I'm a magical object, or at least the container for one."

Sudden hope flared in his eyes as he turned to stare at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked, caught between wary disbelief and excitement.

"I think that whatever power was in the stone is in my heart," she told him quietly, "and so by extension in my blood as well. You could use it as a core for your wand, couldn't you?"

"I suppose... I mean maybe," he stared at her, "but I can't, I can't hurt you like that, it'd take a lot of blood."

"I'll heal," she told him with a grimace, "and if you have a wand, you can use whatever the hell kind of power that's inside of me to get us out of here."

They sat in silence for a while before he finally nodded, "If you're sure..."

"I'm positive," she told him with a smile, "Come on let's do this."

The process was surprisingly simple. They had to keep the knife at her wrist to get enough blood, every time they removed it the skin would heal. Eventually there was about half a pint in the bowl and Nicole was beginning to feel a little woozy. Harry took the knife away and the skin healed immediately. She lay back against the wall and watched him work frantically. It was odd thinking about it, she was going to be a wand. A giggle escaped her lips at the thought and he looked over at her warily. _Of all the things I thought I'd become in my life I never even dreamed of being a wand... __**but then again I never thought I'd be a whore either... or a slave.**_She laughed again at the ridiculousness of it all and he looked at her in concern.

"Are you ok?" he asked quietly.

"Peachy," she replied with a smile, "I just you know, never thought I'd be a wand."

He laughed a little and got back to work. Nicole was unsure exactly how it happened. One second he dropped a thick long stick into the broiling cauldron and the next second a pale thin wand had risen out of the bubbling electric blue liquid. Harry picked it up and a glow the colour of the potion radiated around the room. It was done. Slowly Nicole stood and walked over to him.

"Wow," she said quietly.

She stared down at it. She had seen a lot of wands in her time, most had been used to cause her pain. They had always been wooden and in her head she had come long ago to associate the sight of one with a sense of insurmountable dread. When she looked down at the object before her that fear was absent. It was replaced with a sense of wonder, it was a bright white colour, and the light seemed to reflect upon it as if it were marble. In its presence she felt a sense of belonging. The wand was Harry's but it was also a part of her.

"Come on," he said and she looked up to see a grin on his face, the first real one she thought she had ever seen, "Let's get out of here."

He put his arm around her waist and she felt a pull on her chest as he gripped the wand. Without another word Harry apparated them away from the gloomy shed, straight through supposedly impenetrable wards. As her feet touched solid ground once again she could not help the smile that lit up her face. They had escaped eternity.

OXOXO

**Next bit should be up soonish... maybe. Reviews would be appreciated, tell me how you feel **

**it's going. =]**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here it is, it's a little early and quite long. Enjoy.**

OXOXO

"Thank God that worked, I'm still not technically allowed to do that."

"What do you mean, you don't have an apparating license?" she asked him in horror, he nodded with a small grin, "Are you joking, what if you splinched us?"

"I imagine it would have been quite gruesome," he replied. That was enough for both of them to start laughing. It was a mixture of hysterical relief and pure wonder and it lasted for a long time ringing through the fields around them. Nicole sat with a thud on the slightly wet grass and let herself giggle. It had been an eternity since she had been able to do so. There were tears in her eyes as she continued.

"Can you imagine his face when he finds were gone?" asked Nicole laughing even harder, "They'll probably be steam coming out of his ears..."

"Does he even have ears?" countered Harry his breath coming in short gasps.

"Gaah," said Nicole doing her best impression, "No one escapes me... we've probably just ruined his whole self image, a wandless wizard and a muggle escaping his best prison."

"He'll probably need therapy," exclaimed Harry in delight, "how will he be able to hold his head up around his minions."

"Stop... you're killing me," said Nicole, her laughter had reached the point where it was uncontrollable almost silent pants and her stomach was beginning to ache. There were tears leaking from the corners of her eyes and rolling down her cheeks.

Abruptly Harry yelled out in pain clutching his forehead. Nicole immediately stopped laughing and stared at him in worry. He was thrashing wildly on the floor and she was unsure what to do.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she exclaimed in horror trying to hold him still so he did not hurt himself, "What's wrong?"

Abruptly he was still and Nicole placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly, he gave her a barely perceptible nod before he sat up grabbing her hand.

"Come on we need to get out of here, he knows were gone," the idea of The Dark One's rage did not sound as funny anymore and Nicole felt herself gulp.

"Where to now?" she wondered.

"I know of somewhere they might be able to help us," he told her quietly. His tone made her uneasy.

"Who?" she asked guardedly.

"The Order of the Pheonix," he replied, "they always helped..."

"I'm not sure we should go there Harry," she said frowning.

"Why not?" he seemed puzzled.

"Just trust me ok, there must be somewhere else," she almost begged him, after a second he nodded still clearly puzzled.

"Ok, I think I know somewhere," he replied, "hold on tight."

She grabbed his arm and she again felt the horrifying sensation of being squeezed through a tiny tube. When she could see again she found herself staring around in confusion.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Forest of Dean," he told her, "I came here before with my friends."

"Oh," said Nicole, she could not think of anything else to say.

"I'll ward the area and then we'll figure out what to do."

She watched him as he cast a variety of spells and Nicole was struck by the difference in him now to only a few short hours before. There was a new sense of purposefulness that lifted his shoulders, and a lightness in his step that she had never before seen. He seemed happy, the person he had been in captivity seemed to have melted away the moment his feet touched free ground. She did not know this knew person. In her head he no longer held the title of James, he was Harry now. James had been wary, sad and hopeless, James had been a prisoner. The boy before her was none of these things, she knew little of this person. It was unnerving and she found herself wrapping her arms around her knees.

Eventually Harry finished waving his wand about and came to sit beside Nicole. There was silence for a long while, whilst each collected their thoughts.

"Why don't you want to go to the order?" he finally asked her.

"The resistance betrayed me," she told him quietly, "and I'm... I'm not sure how we'll be received."

"That was all a big mistake I'm sure, they thought you were a traitor," Harry said trying desperately to justify their actions, "I'm sure if we go there and explain..."

"That's not all," Nicole cut him off, she was not sure how to tell him what she had to. She was worried that it would hurt him, but now she had no choice, "Someone let your name slip once, whilst I was there."

"What... what did they say?" he looked surprised.

"Ron Weasley was telling me about Draco Malfoy, I was worried because I ran into him and thought he was his father. He and Marcus, Marcus Jenkins that is, calmed me down and told me why Draco was there. His mother had died and he owed someone called Harry a life debt, so the order had protected him. When I asked them who Harry was they got all evasive. I let it rest while Weasley was there. When Marcus and I left I asked him again and..." she paused briefly unsure how to explain this to him.

"And?" asked Harry, he seemed a little worried now.

"Lucius Malfoy murdered my best friend... he captured me and then spent his time systematically destroying everything else I cared about. I was in such a state that I did not speak for a very long time," she looked up and met Harry's worried eyes, "He raped me."

"Nicole..." he said hesitantly.

"I'm telling you this, because..." she stared into his eyes hoping to impress this upon him, "I have never hated or feared anyone more than I do him. Marcus knew this about me... he had witnessed some of what the man did to me, he rescued me from him. I'm telling you this because when I asked Marcus again about this Harry person he asked me if I liked talking about what Malfoy did to me. He told me that's how wizards felt about discussing Harry Potter."

"That can't be true," said Harry, he looked as if she had slapped him. Nicole wished she had never had to tell him this, but he needed to know.

"I never heard your name mentioned again... by any of them. Not even in passing," she told him he looked so very betrayed that it fractured her heart, "I'm not sure how they would receive us if we just showed up suddenly on their doorstep. I think they've decided that we're both traitors..."

"No," said Harry suddenly jumping up and stepping away from her, "You're lying to me."

"No I'm not," she told him gently, he looked angry now, he grabbed the wand from his pocket and pointed it at her. She stared up at him in disbelief.

"You're lying to me," he said again, "why should I trust a word you say."

"I attacked The Dark One to try and save you," she told him.

"You've been trying to trick me all this time, you're his spy," he said, he sounded so certain that Nicole recoiled.

"I gave you my blood," she reminded him, it came out a mumble and she felt something inside her twist. She could not believe he would not trust her. _**What did I expect, he's a wizard after all.**_

She stared into his green eyes, imploring him with her gaze. She had expected more from him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, finally relenting, "I didn't mean... I trust you Nicole. It was stupid of me to even... I'm just so confused."

He flopped down on the grass next to her lowering his wand.

"Please forgive me," he asked her quietly. She glanced sideways at him, he looked so lost and confused, it broke her already fractured heart. Taking his hand in her own she squeezed it lightly.

"I understand," she murmured.

"If we can't go to The Order, then what should we do?" he wondered.

There was silence for a while as they both sat trapped in their respective thoughts. It was a strange moment. Nicole had a feeling that right then and there was a major turning point in her life. It was one of the times where you were faced with incomprehensibly big decisions and had no idea how to even begin to make them. She was reminded of the day she had got her GCSE results. She had sat there holding a little white envelope scared to open it. Her entire future had seemed to rest upon the small bit of paper in her hands and she had been both terrified and excited at the same time. She felt exactly like she had then all that long time ago as she stared up at the clear starry night sky.

"I... I want to see if my family is alive," she finally said. He stayed silent beside her and as she turned to face him he seemed to be thinking it over, "I wasn't with them when I was captured, the last time I saw them was when I left home that morning. It's been more than a year since then. I need to know if they survived... and if they're in trouble I need to help them."

He nodded, "We could do that, but he might expect it."

"He'll be more likely to expect us to go running to the resistance," she replied.

"True," he said, "but where should we look? We need to set up somewhere we can hide."

"Won't staying in one place be dangerous?" asked Nicole.

"Maybe we should head abroad?" said Harry, it seemed like a logical idea after all England was hardly full of safe havens.

"No," she said quickly, "If we leave now we may never be able to return."

"So what should we do?" he was asking her as if he could not figure out the answer himself.

"Can you turn into an animal?" she asked him.

"What me? Nah I never really had the chance to learn that stuff," he said looking a little sad, "I've spent the last two years figuring out how to make a wand. I was amazed it actually worked."

"Oh," she mumbled, "That would of made things so much easier."

"Why?" asked Harry in confusion.

"Well no one's hunting animals these days, it's all about muggle poaching at the minute," said Nicole with a sarcastic smile, "I was thinking we could you know, hide more easily that way."

"Sorry, I could probably turn you into something but..." her face lit up.

"You should do that! Make me something big with claws," she said with a laugh, "That way I won't be well... my puny defenceless self."

"Clawed beast aren't very inconspicuous in the British countryside, in case you hadn't noticed," said Harry laughing with her, "Beside's I don't know how, I saw one of my old Professors turn a student into a ferret once but I didn't catch the spell."

"A ferret?" she exclaimed incredulously, "were they allowed to do that, which student?"

"Draco Malfoy," said Harry laughing, "and no, but he cursed me when my back was turned and Mad eye saw. Next thing I know there's a rodent bouncing off the walls."

"That's brilliant," said Nicole in slight awe, "poor Draco, I bet he never lived it down."

"He didn't, it was his nickname forever after, he absolutely hated it," said Harry with a little too much glee.

"Don't you like him?" she asked thoughtful suddenly.

"Who Malfoy?" exclaimed Harry, "I've never been his biggest fan, you know enemies since first year and all that. Never really trusted him either what with the whole being a death eater and plotting to kill Dumbledore. Then again to a certain extent I don't blame him..."

"What do you mean death eater?" said Nicole in surprise thinking back to the boy she had briefly known and begun to trust.

"He had no choice really," said Harry quickly, he seemed to be defending his old enemy, "It was sort of forced upon him, and from what you've told me it seems like he finally found the courage to you know do the right thing."

There was a silence as each was absorbed in their own thoughts.

"No I don't hate him," Harry finally said, "we're never exactly going to be best mates, I mean if I ever see him again that is... but I don't hate him anymore."

"He helped me," said Nicole thoughtfully, "He's the only wizard... besides you I mean, that I've ever really trusted."

"Well then," said Harry, "He really must have changed a lot."

"I don't know what he was like before so I can't judge," she replied, "Ron called him a git though."

"That sounds like Ron," he said with a grin.

Another silence spread over the pair as the considered their options. They could hear the sound of crickets and the rustle of the undergrowth surrounding them. It was calming, where they had been before there had been plenty of foliage. Some of it even seemed to have a mind of its own. Yet there had always been an odd silence, an emptiness that seemed to indicate that they were the only living creatures in their eternal bubble. Now the woods surrounding Nicole were alive with the occasional hoot of an owl, or the bark of some unidentified creature. To her it was truly magical.

"So what are we going to do?" she asked. As of yet there was no answer.

XOXOX

"I never thought I'd say this... but driving was a heck of a lot easier when the car could fly," said Harry frowning as he pushed the car into second gear.

Nicole ignored the troubling comment and gritted her teeth as the car made a juddering noise.

"You should be in third your doing over thirty, I knew we should have grabbed an automatic," exclaimed Nicole clutching the car door to steady herself.

"Well if you know so much why don't you drive?" replied Harry in expiration.

"You wouldn't let me, what were your exact words again," said Nicole imitating his voice in a much higher tone than was actually fair, "I'm older, so I have more experience with these sort of things."

"Well you said yourself that you haven't had any driving lessons," countered Harry in irritation.

"Yes but I read the highway code," said Nicole, clutching her chest as they swerved out of the way of a bollard, "and I've practiced driving in my friends field so I know how to work the gear stick... and would you stop taking your eyes off the road to change gear."

"Right that's it," shouted Harry, as the car stalled as they came up to a corner "I've had it up to here... you can bloody well drive this thing."

About five minutes later things were going a lot more smoothly, or at least the car was. There was a frosty silence inside it as Nicole slowed to let another car coming the other way have use of an unobstructed patch of road.

"You almost hit a jaguar earlier," Harry informed her in a clipped tone, "and you rolled backwards on the hill start."

"At least I know what a hand brakes for," snapped Nicole in return. She pushed down the clutch and shifted into second before she accelerated up the road. After a few more awkward minutes she finally relented, "look don't be annoyed about not being able to drive, I mean most of my old friends probably still can't. Anyway you're a wizard, you're not supposed to drive you get to do that apparition thing."

"I suppose splinching is a lot less nerve wracking than stalling," said Harry finally laughing.

"Especially if you do so when pulling out into oncoming traffic," agreed Nicole smirking a little.

"Oi," said Harry mildly, "that wasn't my fault."

"Well I suppose everyone forgets to use the clutch occasionally," she replied in a good humoured manner, "So a flying car?"

"Ron's dad was a bit... muggle obsessed," said Harry lightly, "He enchanted an old blue ford Anglia. One time me and Ron missed the train to Hogwarts so we sort of panicked and flew the car there."

"Oh I would have loved to see that," exclaimed Nicole laughing despite having to concentrate on the road.

"A couple of muggle's did, it caused this whole big scandal, what's more we were only in second year," said Harry his eyes were sparkling as he told her of his misdeeds, "it gets worse, when we got to school we crashed it into this big old tree, called the Whomping Willow. Which of course was none too pleased with us and retaliated by smashing the car to pieces, we barely made it out alive."

"Right that's it," said Nicole, in horrified laughter, "I am never letting you drive again."

The silence in the car returned to companionable as she took a left hand turn up a road she recognized distinctly as leading to her old house. She got an unpleasant nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. After a few more minutes she slowed to a stop down the street and parked the car, making sure to pull up the handbrake.

She took a deep breath as they sat there for a while in silence. The muggle world had not changed overly much, despite having a new overlord and master, life had continued in a relatively normal fashion. There were unexplained disappearances, curfews, higher taxes, a decrease in the standard of education and health care, all of which were similar to the effects of a crappy government. The main difference however was that a bleak hopelessness had spread over the town and villages of the British Isle's. There had been a sharp decrease in immigration, and an overall increase in people fleeing for their lives. Monthly purges took place which wiped out any hope of rebellion and the new national sport was muggle hunting, much to the general populaces extreme distaste.

As Nicole looked around the street that had once been her home, she noticed it had a decrepit feel to it. The houses had gates rusting off the hinges and a few of the roofs were caved in, no one had the money for repairs these days. Many houses were clearly abandoned with weeds growing on untended gardens and she found herself wondering how things could have gotten this bad after only a year. It was a twisted version of suburbia that both unnerved and frightened Nicole. For the first time she realized the true extent of the oppression that The Dark One had created. It made her furious.

A hand squeezed hers and she saw reassurance in Harry's eyes. She took another deep breath and squeezed back.

"You can do this," he told her quietly. She nodded and he cast a disillusionment charm on them before they got out of the car.

Walking up the road to her house was another strange experience. She had walked on the stretch of pavement uncountable times before. She had trudged up the hill in tears, and run up it chased by her first boyfriend. She had complained about tiredness to her friends as they made their way home from school. She had trod these exact steps thousands of times in her short life, and she took comfort in that. She could finally come home, at least she might be able to if she had a home left.

They reached the front of her house finally. It seemed to have survived well. The garden was a little overgrown but the house seemed mostly intact. Nicole pulled on Harry's hand and led him round to the side gate. It was difficult to climb over with their fingers still entwined but they managed it. The rickety wooden gate may have wobbled alarmingly when they were at the top but overall there were no mishaps.

She led him around to the backdoor and they paused to stare through the window. Her father was sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast. He was frowning slightly and sadness radiated outwards from him. Nicole felt her gut twist unpleasantly as she stared at his tired face. There were more wrinkles on it than there had been previously, grey streaks highlighted his hair. He had never had grey there before, his hair had always been a light brown. He had been proud that he never needed to dye it. It was thinning on top and Nicole wanted more than anything to run to him and hug him close. She had not realized quite how much she missed him. The door bell rang echoing through the oddly silent house. He looked up in wary surprise before he went to answer it. Harry squeezed her hand and they took the chance to slip in the back door. They huddled in the corner of the kitchen as Nicole heard an oddly familiar voice.

Harry clapped his hand over her mouth restraining her as the man she despised followed her father back into the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything to drink Sir?" asked her father as he turned to face the man behind him. The '_Sir_' was said with utmost respect and Nicole knew it must have grated at him having to do so. Lucius Malfoy regarded the man before him with obvious distaste, a sneer curled across his lips and Nicole found herself shaking with rage. The robed villain did not belong in her kitchen. She felt Harry tense behind her and tried to keep still. If he detected their presence than it was the end. Despite the fact that every bone in her body wanted to strangle the man before her, she could do nothing.

"No, that won't be necessary," he replied in his familiar clipped tones. She could feel herself shaking in fear and fury, Harry wrapped his arm around her trying to calm her down.

"With all due respect Sir, how may I be of service?" her father queried. Nicole had the feeling that somehow he was not frightened of the wizard before him and in that second she was both proud of and worried for him.

"The same way as you were before," stated Lucius taking a seat at the table and indicating for her father to sit, "tell me about your daughter."

If her father objected to this he hid it well, he took a seat across from her abuser and waited politely for his next question.

"Tell me," said Malfoy, with interest, "Does she have any fears?"

"She's afraid of tidle waves," answered her father, "and spiders."

"Anything else?" asked the wizard leaning back in his chair in a relaxed manner. Her father was sitting ramrod straight he was being careful not to give offense.

"She's a brave girl sir," he replied respectfully.

Nicole stared at him in wonder. When Malfoy had first spoken she had felt an awful sense of betrayal, yet listening to her father's answers she was filled with absolute joy tinged with worry. Whilst the fears he had listed were true they were only partly true. They were what she had been frightened of when she was little. Her father knew her very well and she had told him many of her more current fears, yet he had only revealed those that barely bothered her anymore. He was protecting her. Nicole did not want him to get hurt because of it.

"Did she have any secrets," demanded Malfoy, again her father gave an honest but not complete answer. She began to feel a new respect for the man before her. He was playing a dangerous game and to a certain extent he was winning. Nicole wondered where the rest of her family was.

The questions went on for a while, they ranged from locations of family holidays to her favourite food. Nicole made a mental note to avoid all Italian restaurants from now on. When the wizard appeared satisfied there was silence in the small kitchen. Abruptly Malfoy stood and her Father rose to his feet quickly. It would not do to sit when a wizard was standing, it often resulted in horrendous torture.

"If your daughter appears you are to contact us immediately," the wizard informed him, "any failure to do so on your part will result in your father's death, is that understood."

"Yes sir," replied her father. He showed the wizard out of the house and then returned to the kitchen. Nicole felt tears streak down her face as she realized she would never be able to talk to her family again.

He began clearing the plates away and as he walked over to the sink a small draft allowed her nose to catch a bit of his scent. The familiar coffee like odour washed over her and she felt a sense of security.

"I know you're there," he whispered, and Nicole felt herself and Harry start in sudden shock. "Go up to my old office, I'll be there in a minute. Please trust me."

Nicole grabbed Harry's hand and did as she was told. The office looked onto the back of the house and the curtains were still drawn. They stood away from the window.

"Remove the charm," she whispered.

"Are you sure about this," he whispered back, "You heard what Malfoy said."

"He's my dad," she said, it seemed like enough to explain it. Nicole wondered how she could possibly elaborate on the binding and unbending bond between a parent and child. Thankfully she did not need to. Harry removed the charm as they waited for her father to appear. Nicole wondered again where her mother and sisters were. Malfoy had threatened her grandfather, but not them, it was strange.

After a few minutes her father entered closing the door behind him. When he turned around to face them there was an awkward silence.

"You're alive," he said finally, Nicole thought that she could see tears in his eyes, "I knew you would be. Your mother didn't believe... but I never gave up hope."

Nicole was unsure exactly how it happened but a second later she found herself wrapped in her dads arms, hugging him tighter than she ever had before. After a few minutes Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably, and she stepped back from her father. Wiping the tears from her eyes she beamed up at him.

"You played him," she said with pride in her voice, "You never lied but you never gave him a full answer and he never even realized."

Distaste clouded her father's features.

"As if I'd ever betray you to that bastard," he replied, he was still clutching her hand, as if he were afraid that if he let go she might disappear. Nicole felt the same way.

"Dad this is Harry," she said gesturing to the uncomfortable boy behind her as she suddenly remembered her manners, "we're on the run together."

Her father's face changed into a grin of welcome as he reached out his other hand and shook Harry's. It was appropriately gruff.

"A pleasure to meet you," he said warmly, "You're a wizard I see."

They both looked at him in surprise.

"How do you know this stuff," asked Nicole in wonder, "how did you know we were here, and where is everyone?"

"You remember old Quentin Boggarty down the street," he replied with a smile at Nicole's nod.

"You used to go down the pub with him didn't you?" she asked.

"Yep that's the one. He was a wizard, and none too big a fan of our Glorious Masters. I got him to help me out, cast a few charms around the house and remove some of theirs whilst making it look as if they were still active," said her father, he seemed very pleased with himself.

"Where are mum and Jess and April?" she asked, his grin faded a little.

"They're gone," replied her father, Nicole stared at him in horror.

"What do you mean gone," she asked with a sick feeling in her stomach.

"Your mum took April to the states, their hiding over there," said her father quietly, there was a long pause and as she stared at him the awful feeling in her stomach expanded and wrapped a cold hand around her chest.

"And Jess?" she murmured.

"Jess is dead," he said quietly, Nicole stared at him in horror. It did not seem possible that her older sister was gone.

"How?" she asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Werewolf," he told her, "It was quick."

Nicole nodded in bleak understanding. At least she had not suffered, it was of little consolation. She felt like her heart had been ripped out and she could not quite comprehend what she was hearing.

"Why didn't you go with mum?" she wondered.

"I was waiting for you," he said quietly, "I was certain that you were still alive and... I couldn't abandon you. After Jess your mum she gave up. That's when she took April and escaped. Quentin helped us, made them a portkey. I wouldn't leave until I'd found you. I almost gave up hope, and then that bloody Malfoy appeared asking questions about you and I knew I was right."

"Daddy," she said quietly, "Does he really have grandpa?"

Her father nodded.

"Don't worry about your granddad," he told her, "He's as tough as an old boot."

"If they find out I was here," said Nicole quietly, "They'll kill him won't they."

Her father nodded sadly.

"Harry can make you a portkey, send you to where mum and April are," said Nicole desperately.

"You won't come with me?" asked her father sharp as ever, "I could never leave you behind, and if I go they'll definitely kill your grandpa, if he isn't dead already."

Nicole stared at him blankly.

"I love you so much daddy," she told him finally, "but when Malfoy comes back he'll read all this from your mind. You won't be able to hide it from him."

Her father nodded.

"Do what you have to do," he replied with understanding, "I'd do anything to keep you safe."

"When this is all over I'll come back," he nodded sadly. It was not that he did not believe her, he just never thought it would be over. Nicole turned to face Harry, her heart breaking as she spoke, "You'll have to obliviate him."

"I'll disillusion us and we'll go back down to the kitchen, that way it won't seem odd to you," said Harry.

Her father locked eyes with him and nodded.

"Take care of her," he ordered Harry.

"With my life," he promised in return.

Harry cast a disillusionment spell on them and when it was done they traipsed back down to the kitchen. Nicole watched as her father was robbed of the memory of their encounter and whilst he was still dizzy from the spell they slipped out the back door, clasping hands once again. The gate wobbled madly as the climbed over and they landed on the other side with a thump.

They had just reached the street when she glanced over at where Harry should have been and saw him standing next to her. A feeling of dread overtook her and she was not surprised when he spoke.

"Well now what do we have here? A whore and a failed saviour, it's almost biblical," said a cutting voice behind them.

They spun around and were faced with none other than Lucius Malfoy himself. Nicole knew she should be afraid, yet for some reason she was not. It was as if when she found out about her sister's death something inside her had if not healed, then sealed. All her fear and grief was locked away, at that moment she felt strangely numb.

"I didn't know you read muggle scripture," she replied amazed at the calmness of her tone, "I suppose it's one of those know your enemy things huh."

"Quite," came the cold reply. Harry tensed next to her, the wand was in his pocket.

"It was foolish to come here," he said blandly, "but then what more could be expected from the pair of you."

"Leave us alone Malfoy," warned Harry, she had never realized how dangerous he could sound. She was thankful for that.

"That's quite impossible Potter," he hissed, he was smirking at them and his grey eyes flashed with power. A little of the previous fear reappeared when he drew his wand. "I thought you had better taste girl, but I find you gallivanting around the countryside with this fool."

"Get away from us," said Nicole glaring at him as the hatred returned to her.

"Have you had her yet," he was talking to Harry now, he spoke as if they were having a polite conversation over tea, "She's a bit unresponsive but wonderfully tight."

Harry was quicker than she had given him credit for. Malfoy was blown backwards at least twenty feat by the force of a curse.

"Run," shouted Harry, "Back to the car."

They raced down the hill to where she had parked. Nicole was surprised to note that people were staring out there windows at them but no one left their houses. Her old neighbours new better than to interfere in wizard business. She wrenched the driver's door open as he charmed the engine to start. She pulled a spectacular U-Turn, hitting the curb of the opposite pavement with her front wheel and pushing the car up to fifth gear. She was doing seventy and the old car was moving faster than it ever had before. She had never driven this fast and the adrenaline made her sweat.

"He's getting up," said Harry, "I think he's going to do something."

"Unless he can apperate into a moving into a moving vehicle..."began Nicole, there was a loud crack and they both jumped. Which was a very bad idea when driving at seventy, she found herself struggling to control the wheel.

Harry didn't hesitate for a moment.

"Stupefy," he shouted as the blonde appeared in the back seat. The expression on his face was furious.

"Open the door," shouted Nicole. Harry obliged her, she slammed on the breaks and twisted the vehicle to the side. The man in the back seat went flying as they went from seventy to zero, when she pulled up the hand brake.

With the attacker unconscious at the least and lying several meters away in a nearby garden Nicole decided to restart the car. She calmly pulled away as Harry reached over and closed the door. They drove in silence for several minutes before either one of them spoke.

"Shouldn't have forgot to put his seat belt on," mumbled Harry.

Nicole went into hysterics. She was laughing so hard she had to pull over and get control of herself. Once the giggle fit was finished they resumed driving.

"Why didn't he call for back up?" asked Nicole quietly.

"Probably thought he could take the two of us easy," said Harry with a small grin.

"Can you imagine him going back to The Dark One and telling him that he lost us," she said smiling, "That he got his arse handed to him by a muggle and a wizard with a bloody homemade wand."

"If I was him I'd be getting out of the country about now," he replied lightly.

"How on earth do we manage it?" she wondered aloud.

"What crazy stunts and hair brained spur of the moment ideas?" asked Harry, "I've been doing it most of my life."

"I knew you were a bad influence on me," said Nicole with a mock frown, "If this is what it's going to be like from now on... then bloody hell."

"You say that word a lot," he told her and she grinned.

"It's a very expressive word," she replied.

They drove a long while consumed by the high of a successful escape before they pulled over and shrunk the car. Harry put it in his pocket and they apparated far away.

OXOXO

**Review and tell me what you think otherwise if it's bad it won't get any better.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Next chapter...in case you hadn't figured that out... Sorry for any delay and I hope you enjoy it.**

**OXOXO**

She was running through a shopping centre. People milled everywhere around her blocking her attempt at escape with their infuriatingly slow movement. She was skidding to the side and dodging them and yet she could not seem to get anywhere. Every so often she would see an almost familiar face in the crowd. She ignored them. Her attention was focused entirely on escaping the nightmare chasing her. Nicole heard explosions shatter the quiet music as glass rained down around her. Still she raced on, throwing her hands over her head to protect herself from harm. It was the most important thing in the world that she kept going. If she slowed down, or rested, then she would be giving the beast a chance to reach her. It would be all her fault. So she skidded through the thinning crowd and ignored the familiar hands reaching out to her, all the while knowing that it was gaining on her.

"Seven," it hissed behind her. Its breath was on the back of her neck, it was going to catch her. She skidded to the side and burst round a corner finally freeing herself of the impediment of the crowd. She was racing through a derelict building. The shops were dark burnt out shells with the occasional mannequin leaning haphazardly through a broken window. Glass littered the floor, but it no longer fell upon her. In the distance she could see three bright figures. Light streamed through the entrance way behind them and Nicole just knew if she could reach them then it would all be over, she would be safe.

"You cannot escape me," whispered the voice of the creature behind her, it seemed to be speaking right into her ear and she could almost smell his scent in the smoky air. As she pushed herself forwards despite the burning in her limbs she could slowly begin to make out the features of the trio standing in the sunlight. She saw three impossible people before her reaching out their hands to her with grins of encouragement upon their faces and the shock of it made her skid to a stop. It was Melanie, Jess and Caroline. _That's impossible, _she thought, _at least two of them are dead. _

At the looks of horror that suddenly transformed their faces Nicole realized her mistake. A pair of immoveable arms wrapped around her and she struggled against them, desperately attempting to break free to the safety of those she loved.

"You are not going anywhere," the monster behind her cruelly informed her. She struggled violently against him, kicking at his shins and scratching the arms that held her around the waist.

"Jess!" She screamed for her sister to save her, reaching out her arm to her imploring her to help. "Jess don't leave me to this."

Her sister surveyed her sadly as none of the three moved to rescue her.

"You stopped Nicksie," said her sister. The voice rang through the derelict building with surprising clarity, "You stopped fighting, stopped running and let him have you. You betrayed us... you abandoned us."

"No," screamed Nicole, on hearing the hurt in her sisters voice, "I never... I would never."

"You turned your back on us," said Jess quietly, her deep eyes filled with soul piercing sadness.

"You failed us," said Caroline quietly, "You destroyed us Nicole."

Her sister and her friend turned away from her as she struggled desperately to reach out to them. The arms held her back pulling her away from them and towards him.

"Please don't leave me to this!" she begged them as they abandoned her. The pair disappeared into the light behind them leaving Nicole facing Melanie alone. "Help me Mellie, please don't go."

"You forgot me," whispered Melanie her voice sadly accusing. Nicole went limp in the monsters arms. It seemed her best friend would desert her as well. "You gave up. You stopped fighting and you forgot my face. You seared it from your memory. You killed me."

"No," she yelled in an odd mixture of desperation and anger, "Mellie don't leave me."

"You cannot follow me, you chose the monster," her friend informed her gently before she too disappeared into the light.

"I told you Seven you will never escape me," it said spinning her around to face him. She screamed as she found herself staring into cold grey eyes that were at once his and yet not him. The light from the safety denied her highlighted his unforgiving face stealing away any vestiges of humanity. It was then that Nicole perceived that she did not gaze upon her attacker, rather what he represented. He was the cold unforgiving world that robbed her of those she loved. Life itself dragged her away from the safety of her beloved dead. In that second she despised it for its cruelty. She closed her eyes no longer able to bare the sight of him.

A hand reached up and caressed her cheek, she could feel his fingertips grazing her skin.

"Why must you fight me so?" he asked her, his earnest voice mocked the concept of gentleness.

"Let me go," she begged.

"Never."

Her eyes flew open and she stared around the empty tent in confusion. It had been so real, she had been certain that he had been there just inches away. She let out a sigh of pure relief as she realised it was just a dream. She was safe from him. _Why do I still feel so trapped then?_ A part of her asked. She pushed away the worries raised, unable to face them. There were so many questions running through her head and she feared their answers.

Warily she removed herself from her sleeping bag and stood intent upon finding Harry. She was certain that she would not sleep again after her nightmare, and more to the point she did not want to. Slowly she crawled from the tent to find him sat by the fire at the edge of their wards.

"Are you alright?" she asked him apprehensively. He looked up at her slowly as if absorbed in his own thoughts.

"You were shouting," Harry told her quietly, "I was about to come wake you."

"Oh," said Nicole, uncertain how to respond to him, he seemed to be in an odd mood, "Thanks I guess."

He made no reply and after a while Nicole sat down beside him.

"You can get some rest if you like," she offered, "the wards will wake you if anyone comes near."

"Sure," he said quietly. He slowly rose and made his way over to the tent.

"Night," she called out. Harry nodded without turning to face her. It was definitely an odd mood. Nicole found herself wondering what he was thinking before she put it out of her mind. If he wanted to talk about it he would tell her. Otherwise it was his business and she would not pry... no matter how curious she might be.

**XOXOX**

He put his finger to his lips and she nodded her understanding, what they were doing was extremely risky. They both knew now that one false step could mean the end of all their carefully laid plans. Slowly they poked their heads just slightly round the corner. They were faced with the dark outline of Diagon Alley at two thirty in the morning. The street was deserted and the cobblestones were slick with the rain that had fallen earlier in the night. Harry grabbed her hand tightly in his as they slowly made their way up the street, sticking dedicatedly to the shadows.

Nicole felt fully in the long minutes it took them to reach their destination the weight of how little she belonged in this world. It was like any other street save for the fact that it was completely different. The sharp eyes of the owls regarded her from the window of the pet store they passed and she drew a nervous breath. She felt so exposed under their piercing gaze. Finally they reached their objective. Harry cast a series of charms over the front of 'Flourish and Blotts' before he quietly unlocked the door and they slipped inside.

With the door closed behind them Harry lit his wand. They need not fear the light would attract attention as they had warded the windows to keep their presence unknown. They rushed through the stacks of books searching relentlessly for the right one.

"I wish Hermione were here," muttered Harry unexpectedly, "she was always way better with finding these sort of things."

"Oh come on it's a book shop," said Nicole impatiently, she ignored the tinge of jealousy she felt passing it off as her distaste for the aforementioned girl, "They must have some form of recognizable sorting system."

"I wouldn't bet on it," he told her with a small grin, "This is a wizard shop after all."

"You really are an insufferable lot," she told him teasingly, "Can't you just... you know accio the thing?"

"Don't be silly," he said with a small frown as he stared around the shop, she turned away from him with a small huff feeling a little offended. She had thought it was a good suggestion, Harry seemed to pick up on her ire and continued quickly, "Think about it Nik, if a wizard could just Accio items from a shop why would he ever go in and pay for them."

"Oh," she said feeling moderately mollified, "Well then shall we get looking... it's not like we have all night."

Quietly they resumed their painstaking perusal of the shelves. After half an hour of finding nothing Nicole let out a sigh. She was faced with a very troubling possibility.

"What if they don't have it?" she asked nervously.

"Then we'll have to break into Hogwarts," he replied not looking up from the shelf his eyes were skimming across. Nicole laughed at the suggestion, he did not laugh with her. She turned to face him in disbelief.

"You can't be serious... Harry?" he did not look up.

"If it's not here then it's our only option," he told her. She gulped and turned back to the shelf, her eyes flicking across the strange titles.

"It'd be suicide," she said after a moment, "he'd capture us in a heartbeat."

"We'd have no choice," said Harry. That was the end of all conversation for a while.

Just when Nicole was beginning to lose hope she heard Harry let out a triumphant whoop.

"You found it," she asked spinning to face him. He shoved the struggling book into his bag.

Her eyes locked into his and there was a brief silence as they both smiled in relieved elation, they had done it again. Harry took one step closer to her then another, before she realized what was going on he was centimetres away. His simple scent filled her nostrils as she heard the pace of his breathing quicken. She was certain his heartbeat would be racing and there was a look in his eyes that she knew all too well. He leaned forward and Nicole felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice cold water over her. Memories flooded to the surface of her mind, feeling trapped, struggling desperately against him. _No, _whispered a voice inside her, it sounded pitiful like a scared little girl. Before his lips could touch hers she jumped backwards banging her elbow on the bookcase. He stared at her for a moment his eyes clouded with an odd mixture of desire and confusion. He blinked as if unable to understand the sudden distance between them. Slowly a look of realization dawned on his face and his green eyes went wide.

"Nicole, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to..." she held up her hand and he stopped.

"It's ok," she mumbled, "I just... I can't do that sort of thing... not after him... I'm sorry."

There was an awkward silence as he looked at her, guilt written across his face. She stared at the ground unable to meet his eyes.

"Never apologise for it Nik," he told her gently, "It's not your fault."

She could have sworn she heard anger in his voice but she knew it was not directed at her. Without another word they headed to the front of the store. Nicole grabbed the handle to pull it open and was immensely surprised when nothing happened.

"And where exactly do you think you're going," demanded an angry voice behind them. Harry and Nicole turned to face a balding wizard with red hair. He had his wand out pointed directly at them and she huddled closer to Harry in fear.

Harry however did the opposite. He stood straighter and when he spoke there was an almost unbearable amount of hope in his voice.

"Mr Weasley?" he asked. The eyes of the man before them widened in shock and his mouth hung open a little.

"Harry?" he queried in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"

It was then that Nicole realized who the strange wizard was. He was the father of the Weasley's she had met at the resistance head quarters. What was more he was the man that Harry looked up to as a father figure. She stood completely still wondering what would happen now. Nicole honestly had no idea.

"I... I needed a book," said Harry somewhat lamely, "What are you doing here?"

The man's face hardened at Harry's words. Nicole worried for her friend. If this man rejected him it would break his heart.

"That's not important, did You-know-who send you?" asked Mr Weasley, his tone was dangerous.

"No," said Harry quickly, "We're trying to fight him."

The man looked at him scornfully, "You expect me to believe that after you betrayed us all?"

"I never betrayed you," said Harry pleading with the man he both respected and trusted, "I would never... I left the castle to save you, all of you. I couldn't let anyone else suffer for me. I thought he would kill me but he didn't, I've been locked away for the last two years unable to escape him... you have to believe me Arthur... Please."

The man before them stared intently at them before slowly lowering his wand.

"What happened to you Harry?" asked the man sadly. He seemed so defeated that it hurt Nicole a little.

"Not here," Harry said gently, "Take us to the resistance and we'll explain everything."

Mr Weasley looked warily at Nicole for the first time.

"Who is she?" he said to Harry.

"I'm a muggle," she said quietly. A flicker of what might have been interest went through Mr Weasleys eyes but it was so faint she could have been mistaken, "He's taken everything from me... all I want is to see him destroyed."

No one asked who she was talking about. They stood in silence whilst Arthur Weasley considered the pair before him.

"Merlin save me if this is wrong," he muttered to himself before turning away from them, "follow me."

**OXOXO**

How they ended up at the resistance's current headquarters was a mystery to Nicole. One second they had been in a back room in Flourish and Blotts, the next they were standing on a hillside looking down at a small farm house in the valley below. Moonlight lit the slope and the windows of the cottage shone like a beacon.

"That's the orders new headquarters?" asked Harry in interest.

"It's moved around a lot," replied Mr Weasley. "Well on you come, Molly's probably worrying herself sick."

"Is everyone in there?" wondered Harry, his voice was an odd mixture of excitement and fear.

"No not everyone," the older man paused for a while, "Ginny's there, and so is Bill and Fleur, and Malfoy... Ron and Hermione probably won't be back for a while."

Nicole felt an odd sense of relief fill her at the names listed. It was reassuring to know that none of those who had hurt her would be there... at least not for a while.

"Why is Malfoy there?" asked Harry shooting Nicole a worried glance, "Which Malfoy?"

"Draco... he's an order member now," Mr Weasley informed them with a small grin, "Never would have seen it coming huh."

"Oh," breathed Harry, he sounded a little relieved, Nicole knew he was remembering what she had told him about the younger Malfoy, "No, I... How come he switched sides?"

Mr Weasley looked over at him in shock.

"He said it was because he owed the three of you a life debt," said the wizard, "and I suppose when it came down to it he wasn't all that bad underneath."

Harry did not reply to that. Their feet hit gravel as they found themselves on a path leading down to the small cottage. The sound of their feet crunching was unnerving in the silent night. Arthur undid the gate and the three of them stepped through as it swung shut behind them. They stood still in silence for a moment Nicole and Harry taking in the sight of the small tidy cottage before them. Mr Weasley cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Well welcome home, I guess," he said in a soft voice to Harry.

The front door opened and a stream of light fell onto the pathway.

"Arthur is that you?" called a worried voice from the doorway, "What took you so long we've been worried sick."

Mr Weasley hurried forward to his waiting wife and they followed warily behind him. When they reached the light of the doorway Mrs. Weasley gasped.

"What have you done?" she asked her husband in horror.

"Calm down Molly," he replied softly, "they're not here to harm us. They need our help."

"But that's Harry," she exclaimed in an odd mixture of fear and hopeful wonder.

"Hi, Mrs Weasley," said Harry, he sounded uncertain. Nicole was unsure how much more of this distrust he could take. She placed her hand in his and squeezed it tightly hoping it would give him courage, "I... I..."

He could not seem to think of anything to add. Slowly he shut his mouth and stared sadly at the ground. Nicole noticed Mrs. Weasley's face soften as she stepped back from the doorway.

"Come in Harry dear," she said to him gently, his head shot up and the look of hope on his face was scary, "There's some soup on the stove... and who is this you've bought with you?"

"My name is Nicole ma'am," she informed the older woman.

"I'm no ma'am dear," said the witch with a small welcoming, "Come in the both of you, it's rather cold outside."

They followed Mr Weasley into the house. Harry stopped when he drew level with the witch.

"Mrs. Weasley I would never betray you, I... I never did no matter what he tried..." Harry tailed off, he seemed so sad that Nicole knew that if the witch did not comfort him something inside him would irreparably break. The next second her prayers were answered when Mrs Weasley's arms enveloped him in a hug. The older wizard took her shoulder and led her into the kitchen away from the pair.

"We'd best give them a moment," said Mr Weasley in a friendly manner, "Molly can get a bit emotional sometimes."

When he indicated she should sit Nicole pulled out a chair and sat at the table. She glanced around the small kitchen nervously. It was clean and tidy. A large pot of soup stood stirring itself on the hob and Nicole stared at it. The days when the sight of magic filled her with awe were long over. The wizard took a chair across from her and she looked down at her hands.

"So how did you come to be a travelling companion of Harry's," he asked the question in an offhand manner, but she could tell it was an interrogation. She tensed immediately. She hated being under their scrutiny.

"I think I should let Harry tell the story sir," she informed him still staring at her hands, "He understands more of it."

"So you're a muggle?" he asked not seeming to mind her refusal to answer his question. Nicole hated the term he had just used but somehow when he said it she was not offended. Nicole realised that there was no malice in his voice when he said the word, just curiosity, "I was wondering if you could tell me about computers?"

"Computers?" asked Nicole looking up at him in surprise, "Why do you want to know about those?"

"I have a... fascination with muggle objects," he informed her with an easy smile. Nicole felt herself relaxing.

"Oh yes... Harry said something about that," if the wizard was surprised he did not show it, Nicole felt the need to do something to help her friend overwhelming her, "You need to trust him... he's been through so much... If you turn your back on him now it will destroy him."

Mr Weasley looked taken aback at her words. Before he had a chance to answer her Mrs Weasley entered the kitchen with Harry following behind her. There was a relieved smile on his face and she was glad that he felt happy. He sat down beside Nicole and grasped her hand under the table giving it a light squeeze before letting go. Mrs. Weasley worked fast and before they knew it there were two bowls of steaming soup before them. Nicole stomach growled loudly as she mumbled her thanks.

"So Harry," asked Mr Weasley, Nicole thought his tone sounded less strained than it had before, "What happened to you?"

Harrys spoon clattered in his bowl and he glanced up at the pair with a pained look.

"For goodness sakes Arthur let them eat first," said Mrs Weasley with a snap of impatience at her husband's thoughtlessness.

The boy beside her stared down at his food as if he could no longer quite manage it.

"Eat," said Nicole gently, "We'll have to tell the story sometime, it'll be better to do so on a full stomach," She gave him a small grin, "Plus this stuff is way better than that blasted stew you kept insisting on making."

He picked up his spoon and resumed eating, after a few moments he paused.

"You said you liked my stew," he stated accusingly.

"Well it was better than the rest of your cooking," she informed him. A small smile graced his face. They finished the soup in silence under the uncomfortable gaze of the Weasley's.

Finally Harry looked up at them. He cleared his throat nervously before he began.

"I think it's time we explained ourselves..." he stated. It took a while to relate their story, Nicole filled in the blanks from her side of things. When they got to the bit about making the wand Mrs. Weasley gasped in surprise.

"Can I see it?" asked Mr Weasley holding out his hand. Nicole shot Harry a dubious look before he warily handed the pale stick to the older wizard. The couple stared at it in shock, "This doesn't really seem like any wand I've ever heard of."

He gave Harry a questioning look before he gave it a light flick. Their empty bowls levitated to the sink as Nicole felt the familiar pull on the space in her chest. She winced a little at the feeling.

"It doesn't draw on my magic either," said the man in some confusion, "how is that possible?"

"It's because it's drawing on me, or at least whatever force that was in the stone, that's lodged itself in my chest" said Nicole quietly. He handed the wand back to Harry and their tale continued. When they finally finished Mrs Weasley was the first to speak.

"Oh you poor dears," she exclaimed as she came around the table and drew them both into a hug. Nicole tensed at the close proximity to a relative stranger. She had unsurprisingly developed a strong distaste for being touched, "I'm so sorry we failed you before Nicole, and you to Harry, we never should have doubted you."

"Don't worry about it," muttered Nicole and Harry at the same time. The witch finally released them and Nicole suppressed a sigh of relief, the woman had good intentions after all.

"Should I wake the others up?" asked Mr Weasley uncertain. Nicole felt a wave of tiredness sweep over her and she threw Harry an imploring look, he must have missed it. A grin split his face as he nodded his assent to the suggestion. Mrs. Weasley disappeared from the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with four excited wizards. Ginny froze in the doorway and behind her a red headed man and a beautiful blonde woman stared in shock. Draco stood warily at the back unsure until his eyes fell on Nicole and his mouth fell open in shock.

"Harry?" asked Ginny in wonder. The disbelief was clear in her voice. Harry stood and stared at her, an indecipherable expression on his face.

"Ginny?" he seemed so hopeful. The witch picked up on it and before Nicole could blink a red streak had found its way into her friend's arms.

"Oh Harry... I thought... we thought..." it sounded like she was crying and Nicole looked away uncomfortably as Harry gently shushed her.

Her gaze locked with Draco who was staring at her in some surprise.

"Archer?" he said in shock, "You escaped?"

"Just about," said Nicole with a small smile.

"Good," he said quietly, he seemed unsure, "I'm glad you managed it..."

Nicole felt slight amusement, "What did you doubt I could Malfoy?"

"I..." Harry chose that moment to rejoin the conversation.

"Oh I wouldn't ever doubt her," he warned with mock fierceness, "You're looking at the only person to ever whack you-know-who over the head with a saucepan... and live to tell the tale."

"You didn't," said Draco his shock returning tenfold.

"Well it's about bloody time someone did it," said the scarred wizard in the doorway finally speaking.

" 'arry thank ze Godz you are alive," said the beautiful woman as they entered the kitchen.

It went on like that for some time. Harry seemed to be happy to once again be in the company of his friends. Although it was clear that Malfoy's presence did not fill him with as much joy as that of the others. Nicole found herself next to Draco at the edge of the room whilst the family crowded together.

"So..." said Nicole awkwardly, "Do you think we could move onto first name basis anytime soon?"

"I thought you had no interest in being introduced," he reminded her with a small smirk.

"That was a long time ago," she told him gently.

"Only about four or five months," he stated.

"As I said... a long while," she replied quickly. After a moment's pause she held out her hand to him, he took it in a firm handshake. "I'm Nicole."

"Draco," he said almost warmly, his eyes so like his fathers and yet so different were creased a little at the corners. As if he was suppressing a smile they could not hide.

"Will you curse me if I call you Drake?" she teased him.

"There's a high probability," he replied still fighting to conceal his smile, "I really am glad you got away from him."

There was no need to explain who 'him' was.

"You did well for a muggle," he tagged it on at the end with a small smirk. Nicole did not take it too personally.

"You escaped them yourself," replied Nicole, "Seems you have some common sense... not bad, at least for a wizard that is."

He laughed at that. Nicole was proud of herself for how she had managed to handle the situation. Finally Mrs. Weasley, Sr that was, Nicole had soon discovered that the beautiful witch and the scarred wizard were married, called an end to the evening, it was well past four and the sky was fast paling. The incessant chirping of the birds could be heard through the kitchen window and Nicole was falling asleep in her chair.

Ginny showed her to her room.

"You can have my bed for tonight," said the red head, "We'll conjure you another one in the morning... well later in the morning."

Nicole smiled at her gratefully before she slipped under the covers. She heard the door close behind her and knew the girl was gone. It seemed Harry and she were not finished talking.

**XOXOX**

'**Spose that's it for now, next chapter will be up as soon as I've written it. Feel free to review... I would very, **_**very**_** much appreciate your thoughts. Also, anyone want to beta this for me... I'm not sure how that sort of thing works so I thought I'd ask here.**


	8. Chapter 8

**So... hi again, sorry for the long delay and all that. Here it is... enjoy.**

**XOXOX**

Nicole felt awareness return to her slowly. The first thing she noticed was the strong smell of clean sheets. They were still crisp enough for her to surmise the bed must have been changed recently. A sense of comfort washed through her. She had missed freshly made beds and any other number of homely comforts that had been so long denied her. Slowly stretching she sat up and stared round the small room. It was nondescript with plain walls. Clothing was strewn across the floor from a trunk at the foot of the bed. A broomstick rested innocuously by the cupboard. Everything around her seemed half heartedly haphazard and despite the clutter the room felt desperately empty.

Realising that she had slept enough she slowly pulled back the covers and clambered out of the comfortable bed. Nicole decided to search for the houses other inhabitants. She was sure by the light coming through the windows that it was around noon meaning she must have slept at least six hours. She opened the door of Ginny's bedroom and walked slowly down the hallway. It was eerily silent and she felt like a thief creeping through a sleeping household. She made her way into the kitchen and found a pot of what looked and smelt like porridge stirring itself unattended on the stove. She was about to grab a bowl when a voice behind her interrupted her actions.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said a bland voice, Nicole turned to find herself staring at the younger Malfoy.

"Draco," she said in surprise before looking down at the pot on the stove, "Why not?"

"It's a potion," he replied, "And not one recommended for human ingestion."

She took a very hasty step away from the stove and turned to face him. He had probably just saved her from an extremely nasty start to the day and she felt a little thankful.

"Oh," she said, "well uhm, thanks for the warning... where is everyone?"

"Around," he said lightly a small grin creeping onto his face, "Most of them are sleeping off the late night, though I think Mr Weasley is in the study. Someone's usually always awake around here."

"Sounds smart," said Nicole with a faint smile thinking of the watches that she and Harry had always kept.

"They're all about constant vigilance, or some sort of motto like that," said Draco.

There was a short silence as the pair stood uncomfortably unsure what to say. Draco gulped as he finally decided to break the silence.

"I should probably warn you..." he said somewhat nervously avoiding her gaze, she felt dread shoot through her at his words, "Granger and Weasley will probably be back tomorrow. I know how you feel about them so I thought I'd you know..."

"I see," she replied, her voice was very quiet. She was unsure how to feel about that particular pair. They had betrayed her trust and practically sold her like a pig to be slaughtered. Yet the way Harry seemed to speak of them had made them seem good people. They had been his friends through school and they had stood by his side and proven their courage. They were the resistance, they had to make hard choices for the greater good. In a sense Nicole could understand what they did to her, she did not blame them but that did not mean she could not hate them for it.

"Did you have any plans for today?" he asked, snapping Nicole out of her confused thoughts by changing the subject.

"Funny you should say that," She said quirking an eyebrow slightly, "But my schedule seems to be mysteriously clear at the moment," she made a motion pretending to check a non-existent watch, "Yep, seems my impending doom has been put on hold for a little while."

_More like eternity because of that damn stone, _she thought somewhat morosely. She quickly brushed it aside unwilling to dwell on anything unpleasant at that second.

"Great..." he still sounded a little nervous but there was a small grin on his face that could only be described as cheeky, "Do you want to do something fun?"

"What sort of fun?" asked Nicole with good natured suspicion.

"Have you ever heard of a broomstick?" He enquired his grin was now downright wicked.

"This wouldn't be the type that you sweep the floor with I'm guessing," she stated in slight trepidation.

"Most definitely not."

...

They stood outside and Nicole stared at the thing in front of her with severe discomfort.

"How on earth will that overgrown twig keep us both in the air?" she wondered feeling extremely perturbed.

"Overgrown twig... I think I should be offended by that description but well... it is a Cleansweep I suppose," said Draco in a droll manner, Nicole surmised that it was probably some sort of wizarding joke which she probably would never understand.

"You're telling me that thing will keep us in the air?" she asked, her nerves clear in her voice.

"Well it should do, unless you've been snacking more than usual recently," he mocked lightly.

"Oh ha-di-ha," she glared at him.

"Well no time like the present," he said raising a leg over the levitating broom, "Care to jump on the back."

The grin he was giving her was absolutely devilish and Nicole glared at him for a full minute before jumping on behind him.

"You'll want to hold onto my robes," he told her calmly.

Nicole grabbed her arms wildly around him as they levitated slowly off the ground. She had never felt anything like it before and the experience was not entirely comfortable.

"You alright back there," he asked, choosing to ignore the fact she was clinging to him for dear life.

"Bloody fantastic," she returned. Nicole was reminded of a roller coaster as the stick rose higher and higher. She felt the way she always felt when the rides began. She was trying to reassure herself that she found this sort of thing incredibly fun whilst feelings of absolute terror bubbled below the surface. She briefly wondered why she was such a massive idiot.

"Hold on tight," he warned her before the broom accelerated forward and he started to do a bunch of unfeasible and to Nicole terrifying manoeuvres. She had to bite her lip to stop herself screaming. She had never before been this scared. After a while the manoeuvres stopped and she found herself very high up in the air. There was surprisingly little wind or cloud and Nicole could see for miles around them.

She let out a little gasp. When she ignored the fact that they were slowly circling high above the ground, she could appreciate that the view really was breathtaking.

"I thought you'd like it up here," he called to her in a light-hearted tone. Nicole could practically hear the grin on his face.

"This Valley's beautiful. I can almost see why you're so into this whole flying thing," she grudgingly admitted.

"Knew you'd see it my way," he said somewhat menacingly before he once again accelerated into a dive.

"Dracccoooo," she yelled in reproving terror as her fists turned white from holding on, "I think I'm gunna puke."

XOXOX

A little while later after Nicole had been sick, much to the disgust of a particularly unlucky bird which had been circling at a lower altitude, her feet finally touched ground once again.

"That was..." she trailed off unsure how exactly to finish the sentence.

"A part from the visceral reaction, you seemed to enjoy it," said Draco innocently.

"You... I could kill you but," she paused unsure, Nicole had to admit that parts of it had been a little fun, she settled on throwing her arms around him in a thank you hug, after an awkward moment he reciprocated, "That was amazing."

"I knew you'd like it," he laughed and she found herself joining in.

"I like it a whole load better now I'm back on the ground," she told his shoulder, "What would you say to some breakfast?"

"I think it would have to be classified as lunch by this point," he informed her as she took a step backwards ending the embrace.

"Quit being pedantic, I haven't eaten yet so its breakfast," she grabbed a hold of his hand and they returned to the kitchen.

Once again faced by the bubbling and deceptively innocent looking cauldron Nicole found she had a small problem.

"Where exactly is the food?" she asked in confusion. Draco seemed equally worried.

"I'm not really sure," he said sounding a little scared, "I've never cooked before."

"How can you not have cooked?" she demanded.

"Well... I was never really exactly... I had servants, and here well Molly usually cooks, or Kreacher but I think he's busy today," he replied looking a bit uncomfortable.

"I see..." said Nicole staring around the kitchen cupboards, "Surely there must be some sort of fridge?"

"What's a fridge?" Draco asked, much to her horror.

"Bloody wizards," she muttered under her breath.

OXOXO

She stood outside the door where she knew the resistance were meeting. There was a very strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. _This is it, _she thought to herself, _this is the moment I've been waiting for, for two years. This is the moment I get to really strike a blow to The Dark Ones. _She was free of the curse now. All previous enchantments had been stripped away from her when the force in the stone invaded her body. Her tongue was no longer bound, she could finally tell the resistance everything she had learned when she was enslaved.

She pushed open the door and found a group of confused wizards staring at her. They were all there, the ones she knew and other's that she did not. They had been arriving all evening and now they were sat before her, a mixture of her betrayers, companions and rescuers.

"Nicole what are you..." asked Harry but she cut him off by raising her hand.

"I can tell you eight months worth of The Dark Ones most private plans," she informed them quietly. They sat in shocked silence for a moment before it broke into pandemonium.

XOXOX

Nicole sat on a swing seat at the end of the small walled garden. She was clinging onto the chain beside her as she rocked gently backwards and forward. There was a strange emptiness in her chest. She had fulfilled the promise she made to herself.

_Granger stared at her open mouthed._

_ "How do you know all this?" she asked in shock._

_ "They assumed I was vacant... broken, when I stopped speaking. They made me into a sort of symbol a reminder of their great accomplishments. I waited on the secret councils, it's how I knew about the stone. They used me when they realised they could no longer fully trust the elves," she paused a second staring down at her hands, "I listened and memorized every word they said. They were fools."_

_ "Why didn't you tell us before when Jenkins rescued you?" she flinched a little at the use of his name. He was here tonight but she would not look at him. She caught the gaze of the questioner one of the Weasleys._

_ "I tried to... so many times, but every time I attempted to do so my mouth would not work. There was a curse on me, I was researching a way to break it, I had even found one... but I was... recaptured," she met Grangers eyes and there was guilt written all over the girls face. Nicole felt a small sense of anger wash over her and she was glad the girl felt guilty. She had condemned her to hell, she deserved to feel one tenth of the pain her trade had caused Nicole. The pain of being beaten and invaded, of being unable to escape as someone you despised forced their way inside of you._

_ "But that's beside the point... If you'd just done as I said and destroyed that damn stone in the..." she pulled herself short it was not the time to vent her fury, "I suppose it's out of his grasp now at least."_

_ "What do you mean?" a question from one of the wizards she did not know._

_ "I broke it, shattered it under my hand. Whatever was in it has forced its way inside my being. He always planned on using the power within but he could never get to it. The Dark One can pull the power out of me... but as long as I'm away from him he can't," she informed her hands once again. They were curled into fists in her lap._

_ "You unlocked the Verus Veneficus?" asked a quiet voice from the end of the table. Disbelief radiated through the room and Nicole's eyes never left her hands._

The swing was moving on its own now in a gentle lull. It was incredibly calming really. The Wizards had heard her information on The Dark One, they had thanked her for it.

_After her revelation about smashing the stone she had left them to continue their meeting. She had little interest in the orders plans. As she had risen she noticed that he had tried to catch her eye. She ignored him, she could never look at him again not after the way he had betrayed her. She had trusted him so much and he had turned his back when she needed him she had needed him to believe her._

"Nicole I..." a girl spoke behind her and she turned her head to find herself looking at Granger, "Nicole I'm so sorry."

She did not reply, she was supposed to accept the apology, she knew that. It was how these things worked. She should allow the girl to placate her conscience. She made no answer. Nicole was tired of doing what her own conscience demanded of her.

"What I did..." the girl managed to continue, her voice was firmer than it had been before, "it was inexcusable. It was just that... I..."

She came and sat down beside Nicole. There was silence for a while.

"You're right," said Nicole finally speaking, "What you did was cruel, it was calculated, and it was entirely heartless."

The girl beside her had the grace to be silent there was nothing she could say. She would either be forgiven or her apologies would be rejected, Hermione understood then what it was to be powerless and her guilt at putting the girl before her in such a situation nearly overwhelmed her.

"But I don't blame you," Nicole said looking her in the eye, "This is a war and it was the decision that had to be made. You thought I was a traitor and so had to act accordingly, and even if that weren't the case we both know that strategically Draco was a hell of a lot more important than I was."

"It was still a terrible thing. I should have tried to help you," she replied unwilling to let it rest until she had somehow atoned for her act, "What can I do... What can I do to make this right?"

She was honourable, despite the things that the war forced her to do, to become, Hermione Granger was still an honourable person.

"Can you remove this stupid force that's invaded my body and turned me into... God knows what? Can you get it out of me?" Asked Nicole quietly. It was the one thing she needed more than anything else.

"The Verus Veneficus chooses its host," she said quietly, "It only goes to those it deems worthy of its power. It's beyond my power to interfere with something so..."

"Bloody annoying?" supplied Nicole helpfully. There was a small moment when they both smiled in a way that might be called companionable, it passed quickly, "well can you at least tell me what it's going to do to me?"

There was a long silence as the girl considered her. She looked slightly sad.

"I don't know much... only what I've read about it... but I can tell you what little I understand, it really is very complicated," Hermione stared at her as if asking her permission and eventually Nicole nodded.

"Tell me."

"The power will protect its host from harm," she said, "it seems that it would make you in a sense almost invulnerable to attacks. The stone was like it as well, no one could so much as scratch it, and believe me we all tried. I think it could possibly stop you from ageing, maybe strengthen you sometimes... but as the host I don't think you can use its powers. You're like a container, and as crude as this sounds I think you can open up to some others. Sort of like you can bestow the magic on them."

"I thought the power decided who could use it?" asked Nicole a little confused.

"No the power decides who can control the usage but not who uses it themselves... that's why no one could access it when it was a rock, because a rock can't exactly decide to bestow power," she explained, Nicole found it was beginning to make a little more sense.

"But I can't really control who uses it," Nicole exclaimed in sudden confusion, "The Dark One just pulled it out of me... I had no say in the matter."

"You can control it," said the other girl sharply, "I just don't think you know how as of yet."

"Oh..." she said, "great."

There was again more silence as the two sat there unsure what to say. Nicole took the opportunity to get a good look at the girl beside her. She seemed tired. The faintest lines of worry already tinged her face. Her hair was flat as if she had been ignoring it recently, it hung in a lifeless manner around her face and her brown eyes held a depth that was only found within the haunted. The world had not been kind to her and it showed. She was not pitiable, far from it. There was a strength in the way she held herself an assurance bred from knowing her mind and her power. Nicole wondered briefly what she would have been like if it were not for the war. She would probably have been as carefree as any other twenty year old, sitting on the cusp of adulthood without having yet jumped into it. There was nothing childish about Hermione Granger, she had been grown up since she hit fifteen.

"He regretted it," she said, turning to meet Nicole's surprised gaze, "Marcus... It tore him apart that he'd... what we did... he wouldn't meet anyone's eyes for a month. He tried to search for you as well. He was desperate to find out what happened to you..."

"Don't," said Nicole quietly cutting her off, "I don't want to hear it, I can almost forgive you Granger... but after what he did... after what he said... I just can't."

She stood up leaving the other girl on the swing. She needed to escape again and she was slowly running out of places to run. As she made her way back up to the house she used the side door deftly avoiding the kitchen that was still packed with the remainder of the wizards. She headed up to the room she was sharing with Ginny. She really had nothing against the girl. She was pretty much the only Weasley she could stand at the present.

When she opened the door, the sight that greeted Nicole caused her to freeze in panic. There was a small yelp followed by a very uncomfortable pause as Harry and Ginny stared at her with very wide eyes. She suddenly knew a heck of a lot more about either of the pair's bodies than she had ever wanted to learn. She closed the door very quickly and turned away feeling extremely awkward. Shuddering she decided it was one of those moments that needed to be quickly repressed.

_Could be worse, _she thought to herself wryly, _I could have walked in five minutes later... that really would have been bad... _She laughed a little at the absurdity of the situation as she walked back down the hall in search of somewhere else to go. After a few seconds she decided to visit Draco. It hit her very suddenly between one heartbeat and the next. _I didn't have a panic attack._

She stood stock still in confusion. The last time she had seen anything like that she had frozen up. Irrational fear had taken over and she had almost broken down. So why had she reacted so calmly to it. _What am I so afraid of? _She found herself asking, _seeing those two on the verge of... well indecency didn't affect me but the thought of kissing someone turns me into a gibbering wreck? What the hell is wrong with me? _She wondered briefly if she ought to be jealous of them after Harry had tried to kiss her, but she could not find the emotion. Nicole decided that she really did not want to think about it, she resumed walking along the hallway and knocked on Draco's door. She needed to talk to a friend.

The irony of the situation was not lost on her as he opened the door and she found herself staring into a pair of guarded grey eyes. The son of her abuser was probably one of the only people she actually felt comfortable around. He was in fact the only person she could stand close contact with. It was confusing but Nicole thought she had figured out why. It was because he really understood. He had, had everything he believed in and understood ripped away from him. The others were all fighting for something, but his world had been destroyed just like hers. His beliefs had been crushed and he no longer truly held allegiance to either side of the war.

"Were you planning on coming in or did you just want to stand in the hallway," he asked quirking an eyebrow at her silence.

"Sure... I'll come in," she said pushing past him and surveying the room. It held only one bed and was sparsely decorated with a couple of prized possessions other than that it was oddly blank. It was not really his home, "How come you don't have to share with anyone.

"No one wants to sleep in the same room as a big bad Malfoy," he sighed closing the door behind him, "So to what honour do I owe this late night visit?"

"I'm avoiding apologies and Harry and Ginny are a little busy in my room so... I thought here was the best place to hide," she told him sounding as unconcerned as was humanly possible.

"I see," he said quietly, "Well sit down I suppose."

Nicole thumped down onto the bed and after a few moments he joined her.

"So... how's the flying going?" he had not taken her out on his broom again after the first time, something she was not too bothered about.

"It's alright," he said pensively, "Would be better if I still had my nimbus."

"What happened to it?" asked Nicole.

"I left it at the manor," he said seeming very sad about it.

"Oh..." said Nicole before she grinned a little despite herself, "You really such a posh boy aren't you."

He looked at her in slight confusion.

"I left it back at the manor, so sorry," she said in an over exaggerated imitation of his aristocratic tone, "Just off now for a scone and a watercress sandwich."

She burst out laughing whilst he stared open mouthed at her.

"I do not sound like that," he told her formally, he had drawn his shoulders back and was tensed all over, "And even if I did..."

"Oh come on Draco laugh for once its kind of funny," she told him still grinning.

"No it's not," he informed her but his shoulders relaxed a little.

"Fine," she said throwing her hands in the air dramatically, "You don't really sound like that, but you're still probably as posh as it gets."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked quietly, his tone made her feel guilty for making fun of him.

"No," she said reassuringly, "I suppose it's just a thing, not good or bad... just kind of funny."

"Ah I see..." he gave the outwards appearance of understanding perfectly but something inside Nicole told her he was confused as hell. She looked away from him and stared around his room, it was then that her eyes fell on something she had not expected to see. Turning fully to look at it she stared in shock.

"Is that my..." she asked turning to look at him she saw he had followed her gaze, he now looked faintly guilty.

"Uhm..." the odd stutter was unprecedented coming from his mouth, it took Nicole by as much surprise as the object itself, "I was planning on giving it back to you... I just never really got the chance."

Nicole rose and walked over to the dresser. She picked the small pad up from the top and stared at it in confusion.

"Why do you have this?" she murmured.

When she turned to face him he was staring down at his feet.

"You dropped it remember," he said quietly, "The first day we met you jumped up and it fell on the ground. When you ran away it was just left there... I thought you might want it back."

"So why didn't you just give it to me straight away?" She asked confused.

"I meant to... but I..." he did not seem to have an answer. They stood in silence for a while before he spoke again, "I enchanted it for you."

"Huh?" said Nicole, "How?"

"I enchanted the sketches so they you know moved about, like wizard paintings," he said in a very small voice, "I was going to give it back to you soon I promise."

She flipped it open and on the first page was met with a view of a lake. The little ducks she had drawn swam about on the surface and a breeze ruffled the leaves of a tree in the foreground. Nicole stared in wonder for a few moments before closing it and looking up at him.

"Draco I..." she paused as he finally met her gaze, "Thank you, for saving this for me."

"No problem," he said awkwardly as they both blushed a little looking away. Nicole came and sat back down on the bed clutching the small pad to her chest.

"I don't know about you," she said after an uncomfortable moment, "But I'm really hungry."

"Dinner was only two hours ago," he exclaimed in surprise, "How can you be hungry again."

"I think the more important question is why aren't you hungry again," she asked him raising an eyebrow, "What sort of self respecting teenage boy isn't hungry at ten o'clock at night."

"You know I'm technically not a teenager, I'm twenty years old," he told her somewhat defensively.

"Details, details," she said blithely dismissing his age with a small wave of her hand, "Now are you hungry or not because I'm really craving some cheddar cheese... oh and some chocolate as well, the dark kind. Also a couple of prawns would be amazing... oh and ice cream, that's definitely a must."

"Where on earth are we going to get all that stuff?" he asked frowning, "It'll look like we're trying to feed an army and the orders suspicious of me enough as it is."

It took a moment for Nicole to realize he was joking the idea of good taisty food taking president over all else in her mind.

"I don't care if you have to make a deal with the dark one, just get me some chocolate," she told him firmly giving him a little shove to get him moving.

"My my pushy today aren't we," he told her with a wicked grin, at the fist that was suddenly cocked and aimed at his solar plexus he relented, "alright I'll sort it out."

"Kreacher!" he called and Nicole smiled, soon she would have her heart's desire... she wondered faintly if the elf could mix the cheese and the chocolate together somehow to create some sort of super snack. With a contented sigh she lay back and let Draco sort it out.

**OXOXO**

**Way more Draco at this point he's a bit occ but I can't quite get him right. Hope you enjoyed more is coming as soon as I've written it... and you know a few reviews would be massively appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry about the long wait, hope you like it, taking it in a new direction.**

**XOXOX**

She stood wearily running a hand through her hair. Nicole had not realised how long it had gotten. It reached down to her waist, a feat it had not achieved since she was seven. The wind caught the strands in her palm and blew them away leaving her grasping empty air. She was a lonesome silhouette against the backdrop of the deep valley. To anyone watching, she seemed a figure belonging to a renaissance painting, an innocent persecuted. At least that what the Rottweiler stood on the grass behind her, his tongue lolling from his mouth and his ears pricked up was reminded of whilst he deliberated whether or not to go any closer.

"I know you're there Marcus," said Nicole her back still turned to him, "What do you want?"

Where once there had been a dog now stood a man, there was an expression of regret and sorrow on his face so profound it could make a stone heart bleed. Unfortunately for him Nicole's was far beyond that.

"Nicole... I, I'm so sorry," he said his voice was clear and strong, "what I did to you, it was the worst thing I have... I know you can't forgive me, I would beg on my hands and knees for it, but I know I don't deserve it. Just know that, I'll never ever fail you again."

There was silence as she studied the sky running his words through her head. They left her feeling oddly empty inside. Nicole decided she was like the clouds, from a distance they seemed solid, but when you got close you realised they were just mist, you could walk right through them.

"I know you're sorry," she told them, "it makes no difference, what you did, it will never go away."

"I know, I just had to make sure you knew," there was silence for a long while, so long in fact that she was sure he had left. Then he spoke once again, "I'm leaving tomorrow, I'm on assignment."

She had never really listened to his voice before, it was a sweet one, almost musical, like a promise to any listener. Nicole thought it was a shame that his promises were so easily broken. It had been her salvation, and her betrayal.

"Nicole, I know I have no right, but can I ask just one thing of you?" he said gently, he seemed a little closer, but still far enough away that she did not feel uncomfortable. She considered it for a while before answering.

"What do you want from me?"

"Will you... will you just turn and face me for a while... will you just look at me," his voice was almost a whisper at that point as if he was afraid to ask. As if he were terrified she would deny him. Nicole considered doing so for one brief moment, until the first time she had met him entered her thoughts. He had burst through her cell door like a knight in shining armour. He had rescued her from hell, she still owed him something for that. Turning slowly to face him she finally met his gaze.

For the first time in a long time she really looked at him, at his strong jaw and curly brown hair. She considered his slightly crooked nose and his pale bright eyes. He was the man who had saved her, who had betrayed her, and who had defended her. Granger had told her that he had searched for her, that he had realized his mistake and been truly sorry. It was not enough, she was not yet ready to forgive him. The silence continued as they considered each other. A gulf lay in between them as wide as a valley.

"One day Marcus... When all this is over, I may just forgive you," she told him finally.

"It won't be over for a very long time," he replied, there was a new lift to his shoulders, a touch of hope in his eyes tinged with resignation.

"I know."

**OXOXO**

Nicole frowned in confusion as she found herself faced with the ghastly choice before her: A muffin or a bagel. The owner behind the counter of the small coffee shop kept darting distrustful looks her way. A lot of monumental changes had occurred over the last few years, yet somehow shopkeepers still retained their suspicion of the youth population. She found it a relief to realize that some things in the world would never change. Or maybe it was just the fact that they were not a fan of foreigners.

"Hurry up and make a decision," muttered an annoyed voice beside her, Nicole turned to face the blonde boy and raised an eyebrow.

"Relax," she ordered, "It's not like we're in a rush."

He let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes in an extremely undignified manner, it was something he seemed to do a lot around her. It never ceased to make Nicole laugh when he did it. A lot had changed in the last few months. Ever since the night they had discovered her problem.

"_You can't be serious," he was staring at her with eyes so wide she thought they might just leap out of his skull._

_ "Deadly," she told him scathingly._

_ "But... when... how?" his voice cracked a little in confusion._

_ "Do you really need to ask that Draco, an eight year old could figure it out," she muttered angrily as she stopped pacing and thumped down on the bed beside him. There was a short pause as he stared at her looking shell shocked._

_ "It... there are things... things that stop this sort of thing happening," he mumbled._

_ "Guess they're no match for the wondrous powers of the verus venificus," she said sarcasm thick in her voice._

_ "Nicole... I... I'm so sorry," he told her earnestly._

_ "S'not your fault," she said finally relenting as she rested her head on his shoulder. _

_ "What are we going to do?" he asked her somewhat more firmly. There was a long silence, as they both considered the enormous problem facing them. Finally Nicole spoke._

_ "We need to get it out of here." _

_ "What do you mean?" he said gently, looking round to meet her eye._

_ "We need to leave England, Or at least I do," she said quietly. A ringing silence greeted her words._

_ "You swore you wouldn't leave until this is over," he murmured._

_ "Some things are more important than a personal vendetta."_

"It's not exactly a hard choice," said Draco staring at the two things before him, "What even is that one there, and why does it have a hole in it. Surely that defeats the point of a sandwich."  
"It's not a sandwich, it's a bagel," she informed him snapping out of her revere, "and in case you had not noticed there's a whole load of difference considering ones sweet and ones savoury."

"Well that's not true," he countered, staring intently at the bagel tray, "Those ones have raisins in them, they can't be savoury."

"Ssssh," she said in exasperation, "Or I'll make you wait outside again."

"That is not likely considering I still have the money," he informed her staunchly, she rolled her eyes in an imitation of his earlier gesture before finally facing the barrister.

"Could I have the muffin please?" she asked politely. The woman behind the counter gave her a small smile before handing it over, she seemed to be warming up to them.

"That'll be four dollars," she twanged as Nicole turned to Draco.

"You heard her," she ordered, raising an eyebrow.

"Doesn't mean I understood her," muttered Draco so only Nicole could hear, he opened his wallet and stared down at the strange notes in confusion.

"That's four of the ones honey," said the woman behind the counter retaining her friendly smile.

"Thank you, I hadn't quite grasped that," he said dryly. The woman took the sarcasm well.

"That's no problem, I guess it's difficult to figure these things out when you're new here," either that or she simply had not understood it.

Draco finally handed over the money and they left the shop to a call of 'have a nice day' and a jingling bell.

"What's wrong?" asked Nicole as she took a bite of her snack.

"Four dollars, that's extortionate," he muttered in annoyance, "We don't have nearly enough money to be throwing it away."

"It's a one off," she replied, "It's not like we do it all the time."

"Still," said Draco in expiration, "I cannot believe it cost four bucks."

Nicole stopped dead and he glanced around in worry searching for a threat. When he discovered nothing he turned to face her raising an eyebrow.

"What?" he demanded.

"Did you just say bucks?" after a few seconds of trying to control her laughter she gave up. Draco glared daggers at Nicole but her mirth seemed unstoppable. "That sounds so ridiculous with your accent."

"Are you done yet?" he finally snapped, "I seem to recall we were going somewhere.

The thought of their destination instantly sobered Nicole up as the laughter died in her throat, "well we need to find the place first."

"That could take a while in a city this size," he said glancing around him in concentration as he searched for some sign to show them the way.

Nicole looked around at the small square which stood on the banks of the Hudson providing a view of the river, the sun was shining with almost unbearable heat and she was glad of her summery clothing. Draco sat on a bench and she followed suit.

"Haven't you ever been here before, or surely he would have told you about this?" asked Nicole quietly. They both knew who she referred to, his father... the man they both despised.

"He never approved of America," said Draco, a bitter tone in his voice, "It doesn't have the same pureblood society, two few of us crossed over the ocean. It's all half bloods and muggleborns, and of course there are the natives but... they practice differently."

"So what exactly does that mean for us," wondered Nicole with a small frown, they were, it seemed, in a rather unfortunate situation.

"Well there's a game we could play that would help us," he said dryly, his eyes flickering over the pedestrians passing by.

"And what would that be?" she queried.

"How about... Spot the wizard?"

"I like your thinking Malfoy," she grinned, "but there are a lot of people here, and if as you say they're mostly muggle related, they won't exactly stick out will they?"

Draco eye's flickered away as he ignored her statement.

"There's one," he crowed excitedly after a few moments. Nicole looked to where he was pointing and was met by the sight of a balding middle aged man in a death metal shirt and a pair of black worn leather boots, he wore a red skull and cross bones bandana and he glared at them. Nicole quickly pulled Draco's hand down and made him look away.

"That's not a wizard, that's a hell's angel," muttered Nicole desperately, "They really don't like it when you point at them.

"But he's dressed so differently to the muggles..." said Draco with a frown, "I thought he was confused."

"Oh great, we really are doomed aren't we," exclaimed Nicole.

"Did you just say muggle," chirped a small voice behind them, Draco and Nicole spun around guiltily to stare at an eight year old boy.

"Uhm..." said Nicole, unsure how to respond.

"Yes," said Draco staring at the child, he smiled in a friendly manner, something that Nicole was almost certain she had never seen before, "Do you know what that term means?"

"Yep, I'm a wizard," whispered the child in reply, "but Sssh, it's a secret."

"Are your parents the same?"

They got their reply when a very tall woman rushed forward and grabbed the boys shoulder.

"There you are Mikey, I told you not to go off on your own like that," she turned her attention on Nicole and Draco, "I'm sorry if he was bothering you, he's a little skamp."

"It's no problem," reassured Draco quickly, he was surprisingly good at laying on the charm, "We actually needed some help."

"Of course," said the woman with a big smile, "my names Hillary, what can I do for you?"

"We were wondering if you could give us directions to the Maxi Mall?" he asked politely. The woman's eyes widened and she looked briefly taken aback, she recovered quickly.

"You're wizards?" she whispered. Draco nodded and Nicole kept silent not bothering to correct her, "Why I would never have guessed, I'll write down the address for you. You got a pen?"

She addressed this question to Nicole who quickly obliged her with both pen and paper.

"It's a couple of blocks off Penn, behind 'The Grand'" she told them warmly, "I'd show you the way, but I gotta get Mikey back to school."

"It was nice to meet you," said the little boy. They smiled at him as the pair wondered off down the road. There was a moments silence as Draco and Nicole stared at each other unable to comprehend their luck.

"What are the chances of that happening?" wondered Nicole in astonishment.

"I guess we were just lucky," he replied, his grin disappearing, "well come on, we need to get there and it's not like we have all day.

**XOXOX**

_Nicole paced feverishly around Draco's small room too consumed with her own turbulent thoughts to consider anything else. Her surroundings were a confused blur as she her mind ran through the events of the day. It was all too much for her to handle, the pacing was in danger of becoming a sprint when she flopped down exhaustedly in the arm chair. Her head was still going a mile a minute and her leg jumped up and down like a nervous twitch. She was bordering on distraught as she sunk her teeth into her lip waiting for him to return. The door opened as Draco slipped inside, he shut it again behind him with a soft thump as he took in her dishevelled state._

_ "Three weeks," he informed her with a curiously blank expression, "Then we can head over to the states."_

_ Her foot came to a juddering halt as her body tensed in relief. There was a solution._

_ "Why America?" she asked quietly._

_ "We need to set up links with any resistance movement over there," said Draco he seemed more confident in himself, "I explained to Granger that the two of us needed to be elsewhere, and reminded her of the debt she owes us... She gave us a role that would take us away. As far from him as possible."_

_ "You didn't tell her about..."_

_ "No... Merlin no, that's none of her concern," he said hastily._

_ There was a short pause as they considered their situation. Nicole found herself curled up in the armchair her knees huddled to her chest as the silent became oppressive._

_ "I hate him so much," she mumbled, "I haven't seen him in months and he's still destroying my life."_

_ "He does that," said Draco with a dry twist to his lips. He made his way over to where she sat and knelt in front of her, "The man's poisonous, but that doesn't mean you should let him win."_

_ "What am I going to do?" she was more terrified than she had ever thought possible._

_ "You're not going to let him win," he told her firmly, "no matter what happens, you can't let him beat you."_

**OXOXO**

"Hi, do you need any help there?" Nicole looked up and found she had misjudged, she was forced to look up once again to finally meet the warm chocolate eyes of an extremely tall wizard.

"Oh no..." she said warily, "I'm just browsing."

He gave her a dazzling smile that did not quite reach his eyes, "well ask me if you need any help... are you from England?"

She nodded warily as a wave of curiosity crept over his face.

"No way! What you doing over here?" he asked jumping from one topic to the next like a butterfly on speed.

"I like to travel," she told him blandly, she was feeling uncomfortable enough as it was without having to deal with people gawking at her.

"How are things over there? With that Moldy guy?" he asked not getting the hint that she wanted to be left alone. Nicole stared at him incredulously wondering how he dared talk so disrespectfully about The Dark One.

"Oh great," said Nicole hardly able to believe his insensitivity, "What with him killing people all the time and the oppression of the muggle population. Not to mention his plans for world domination things are just perfect."

He looked a little taken aback at her statement but he recovered quickly, Nicole could see him quickly laying the blame on her being a foreigner. They seemed very tolerant of that sort of thing.

"Well you got nothing to worry about," he told her in a very certain manner, "You're in The States now, and that old Deathy wouldn't dare set foot on these soils."

Nicole bit back the impulse to laugh at him. Instead she gave him a polite nod and made an excuse before trying to find Draco. A feeling of pity swam through her as she stared around at the bright and open shopping precinct. They all seemed so innocent and naive. They lived in a world as of yet unthreatened by war and suffering, confident that they were safe from the big bad wizard over the seas. So confident that they made fun of him. They really had no idea what was coming.

"You alright?" asked a voice behind her, she turned to find Draco stood there with a look of concern spread across his face.

"Yeh I'm fine," she mumbled, "It's just... they have no idea what's headed their way, do they?"

"They have an idea, they just don't want to believe it," he replied his eyes scanning the crowds milling about.

"Where to now?"

"We have a contact address... are you alright, you've gone a little green?" he asked resting a hand on her shoulder in concern.

"I'm fine, I just need to use the loo," said Nicole quietly.

"You're doing this every day," he said with a hint of worry, "are you sure it's normal."

"It's called morning sickness," she snapped, "didn't anyone ever tell you about it."

"No one saw the need, it's not like I was ever going to get pregnant."

**XOXOX**

**So there it is, hope you enjoyed, there will be more as always, when I write it. Until then. Oh and a review or two would be as always appreciated =].**


	10. Chapter 10

**XOXOX**

The glass windows of the shop front glittered in the florescent light as a shiny black broomstick hung in the middle of the display. Nicole found herself gazing at it in interest, the plaque below the broom read _'firebolt 2__nd__ series'. _The contact they were meeting ran the quidditch supplies shop called imaginatively enough, "O'Hallaghan's Quidditch Supplies". He was by repute a rich man in his late forties with a rapidly receding hairline and questionable tastes. He was also Irish, and Nicole vividly remembered the IRA bombings of London that had plagued her childhood and continued well into her adolescence, in truth the day that her world had changed her first thought had been that it was just another incident. With the Dark Ones take over such political tensions had been pushed to one side, but she could still remember the day that she went on a school trip to the natural history museum, they had not been able to take the train due to the recent bombings of two main stations. She could still remember the news reports that would tell her that another of her countries landmarks had been blown to smithereens. Draco did not share her trepidation, the wizarding world had barely noticed the bombings, not to mention the Dark Ones had actually caused some of the more notable explosions, but there was a deep seated unease within her that she could not quite master.

"Well, shall we go in?" asked Draco.

"I'm right behind you," muttered Nicole by way of reply. She was still feeling a little queasy.

The door had the decency not to jangle as they pushed it open and entered the store. Inside they could hear the awkward buzz of the air-conditioning, and Nicole found it necessary to shade her eyes a little to avoid the glare from the gleaming displays and surfaces. A woman sat behind the counter in a white shirt and vest she was leaning behind the cash register staring into space. When she caught sight of them she stood up beaming.

"Hi, do you need any help?"

Draco and Nicole shared a wary look before making their way over to the counter.

"Actually yes we do," Draco answered, plastering a charming grin on his face that Nicole found unnerving, it had the opposite effect on the store clerk who blushed a little and grinned back, "We were wondering if we could speak to Mr. O'Hallaghan?"

A look of faint disapproval spread across her features at the mention of her employer.

"I'm sorry, Mr. O'Hallaghan isn't in yet, he should be here later," she informed them politely.

"Look, Jenny, is it alright if I call you Jenny?" said Draco leaning in and speaking in an undertone, Jenny blushed a little more and nodded, "It's an urgent matter, could you not just call him up and tell him a phoenix is here to see him. I am sure he will understand."

"Mr. O'Hallaghan doesn't like to be disturbed..."

"Please... Jenny, we would not be here if it was not of the utmost importance that we speak with him," Draco was so close to the poor girl by that point that they were probably breathing each other's air, it did not look to Nicole as if she minded the proximity overly much.

"Well... maybe, ok then," Jenny finally relented, "just give me a moment sir, I'll call him up for you."

"Please call me Draco," he said finally leaning back and turning towards Nicole who was feeling a little bored by that point.

"Where's all this charm come from," she asked him careful to keep her voice low so Jenny who was speaking nervously to her employer wouldn't hear.

"I can be charming sometimes," he replied defensively, "when its suits my purpose."

The girl hastily finished her conversation on the phone, "he'll be in, in half an hour. Would you like to view some of our products while you wait?"

Nicole noticed that the smile on Jenny's face had become a little strained. Something wasn't right.

"Draco, I'm hungry, why don't we go get some food and come back in a little while," said Nicole, trying to catch his eye.

"You're welcome to wait here," said Jenny insistently.

Draco turned to Nicole raising an eyebrow, "I'll give you some money to buy yourself something to eat. I should wait here though."

"Draco..."

He cut her off by handing her a large wad of dollars and giving her a meaningful look, "There's no reason to hurry back, if something goes wrong you know what to do."

He added the last part in an undertone too low for the assistant to hear and Nicole nodded solemnly in reply. She was not really hungry, but she took the opportunity to wander around the mall. It really was incredible, all shiny glass displays and floor tiles so bright she was getting snow glare.

"No wonder you always see them in sunglasses," muttered Nicole under her breath, as she stared at a gleaming escalator ascending eternally into brightness.

"You don't want to go up there," warned a twanging voice behind her. Nicole turned to see a serene old man sat on the bench in the middle of the promenade. His deep voice spoke of what sounded to Nicole's uneducated ear like a Southern drawl. White hair and beard covered his dark weathered skin, and unlike most British wizards she had met it was kept short and neatly trimmed.

"Excuse me?" asked Nicole in surprise, she was unused to being talked to by strangers.

"I said you don't want to go up there," he repeated, "Only the bad types go to the upper levels, and you don't seem like a bad type to me."

"How do you know?" she wondered walking over to stand before him.

"That you're not a bad type?" he queried, Nicole nodded and he gestured her to sit which she did albeit warily, "because you ain't, bad things been done to you in your life but that don't make you a bad person."

"How do you know? How do you know anything about me," she was feeling unnerved by his presence, he knew too much about her for a stranger and that was never a good sign.

"I have a knowing," he told her smiling in the same way he had before. It felt safe and almost comforting, it reminded Nicole of the sensation of sunlight on her skin, "and you're a long way from home ain't'cha kid."

"What gave me away?" she felt herself relaxing despite the fact that alarm bells should probably have been ringing in her head.

"Besides your accent? You just have it rolling off you, a sort of foreignness, not to mention that potent mix of misery and power," he told her, "Them that know how to look for it can feel it a mile away."

"That's not good sign," said Nicole wrinkling her forehead.

"Don't you worry, there's not many that can sense that sort of thing," the old man told her conspiratorially, "Why I'm the only one in North America who can do it."

"Who are you?" asked Nicole relaxing despite herself.

"Them that know me well call me Jimmy, them that don't..." he paused possibly for effect, "call me Mr. Jameson, and they all give me a wide birth, what with the being crazy and all."

"You don't seem crazy to me," she exclaimed, she paused briefly to wonder if that was a sign of her own deteriorating mental state, but really to her the man just seemed a little odd in a harmless extremely perceptive sort of way, "So what is it I'm supposed to call you?"

"Jimmy if you like, or Jameson, it's up to you," he said gently, "And its mighty kind of you to say I'm not crazy, but I am, if I wasn't you wouldn't be shining like a little blue fairy light."

"You...you can see it?" whispered Nicole, still feeling strangely calm.

"Your secrets safe," he told her staring up at the escalator, "It's a long while since I met a conduit and it's always an honour. Especially one with a shaper growing inside her."

"A what and a what...?" asked Nicole in confusion.

"Never you worry child," he told her with a smile standing to leave, "Just you remember that you can't keep her safe forever, she'll have a part to play in all this... just like you."

With that he was gone, striding off down along the marble floor with the ease and assurance of a man half his age. Nicole was left on the bench contemplating the strange encounter before she caught sight of the big clock on the wall, she was late. Pushing it to the back of her mind she headed back to "O'Hallaghan's".

**OXOXO**

Nicole pushed open the glass door and found the shop assistant once again standing bored behind her till. She perked up when she caught sight of Nicole but the interest quickly faded as she recognised her as the girl from earlier and not a prospective customer.

"They're out back, Mr. O'Hallaghan said for you to join them when you came back," she told her, Nicole gave her a light smile attempting to lighten the mood.

"And how do I get out back?" asked Nicole trying her best to sound polite.

"Through there," said the girl gesturing to a door that read staff only.

"Thank you," she said to the assistant she had already forgotten her name.

She pushed open the mysterious door, mysterious to Nicole at least who had never worked in a shop, and was met with the sight of a cramped storage room which had a small kitchenette with a table and three chairs two of which were filled. Nicole caught Draco's eye as she closed the door behind her and he gave her a weak smile.

"Mr. O'Hallaghan, this is my associate Miss Arrow," said the blonde boy gesturing to Nicole who moved forward to stand at the table. The man turned to look at her and she could detect no outright hostility from him.

"Excuse me, where are my manners, please sit down," he said standing up, Nicole accepted his invitation and soon all three sat in uncomfortable silence, "Now maybe you can explain why the order has pulled me out of bed at this ungodly hour."

He checked his watch at the statement making a face of distaste. Nicole was a little shocked.

"It's eleven o'clock," said Nicole in surprise.

"And last night was a Friday night," he told her shooting her an impish grin, time had treated him well and there was still a certain sparkle to him, despite the smatter of wrinkles and the receding hairline.

"I see," said Draco evenly, "nightly pursuits aside, what do you know of the situation in Britain?"

There was a slight pause as the grin fled from O'Hallaghan's face and he began to turn slightly green.

"You ain't dragging me back into that are you? I'm a citizen of these United States now and you got no business bringing your shit over here," his tone had descended into an angry whisper as he glared at them.

"Mr O'Hallaghan..." said Draco in surprise.

"No, that stuff stays over there you hear me, you-know-who has no place setting foot on this soil," he was almost shouting, "get out."

Nicole felt the calm return to her as she gazed at this enraged man. Draco stared at him in open mouthed surprise, unable to gather his wits against this sudden onslaught.

"How long do you think it will remain your soil?" asked Nicole, a dreadful coldness had crept into her tone and it bought O'Hallaghan up short, "The Dark One is the most evil being alive, possibly the most evil man in the history of mankind, wizard and muggle alike. Do you really think one island will be enough for him. I have met him, I doubt his thirst will be sated by a continent or even a hemisphere. He will pick up where Alexander left off and conquer the whole globe... unless you help us stop him."

Silence greeted her words as the two men stared at her in shock the older somewhat deflated as the bluster left him.

"Now you can either bury your head in the sand and let your anger blind you, or you can sit down at this table and talk to us," his eyes met hers and there was a strange intensity to their pale depth, "There's a war coming Mr. O'Hallaghan and it's up to you whether you take a stand, or step back and let it consume everything you care about."

"Wise words Miss Arrow," he relented resuming his seat, "I apologize for my earlier breach, what is it exactly you would be wanting from me?"

"We need you to make contacts in this country for the order," said Draco smoothly taking over where Nicole had left off, "There needs to be a strong network in place to stop people in power making the wrong decisions."

"And you want me to do this?" asked O'Hallaghan in disbelief, "I run a quidditch shop, I haven't exactly got all that much sway."

"You're not the only one," said Nicole, "We'll put you in contact with the others soon."

"It's important that this remains secret though," cut in Draco, "you cannot talk to anyone about it until you receive explicit instruction."

The man leaned back taking them both in with a considering gaze.

"So it's come to this then?" he asked, there was immeasurable sadness in his eyes, "You know I left Britain fifteen years ago after that Potter kid defeated him, and I didn't look back. When he came back I prayed it wouldn't get this far. Now it's come knocking on my door and it seems I can't escape it." There was a pause as silence permeated the cramped room, "I'm in... to your secret society or network or whatever you want to call it. I'm in."

**XOXOX**

The New England sky was a bright pale blue as Nicole stared through the car window at the small house. It really was in the middle of nowhere and she found herself wondering how they survived out here so isolated. It was a colonial and out on the front was a small porch. Through the windows she could see the flicker of a television screen.

"She always hated the snow, why on earth would she settle in Vermont?" asked Nicole in confusion, "I would have always figured she would head to Florida or California."

Draco gave an audible shrug and squeezed her hand reassuringly, "How would I know, she's your mother after all."

Slowly Nicole opened the car door and biting her unease made her way over to the doorstep, Draco followed just behind her keeping an eye open for any sign of trouble. The large bump that lead her way slowed her movements and she glanced down at it briefly in worry. What would her mother think of her. Nicole had been sixteen the last time she'd seen her, that fateful morning she'd been up late and had barely uttered a cursory good morning before rushing into town to meet Mellie. It was over two years ago now and she wondered briefly if her mother would even recognize her, recognize the heavily pregnant young woman who stood before her. Taking a deep breath she reached across and rang the door bell. It was not long before someone answered.

"Yes... April will be there on Tuesday, can I help you..." her mother was on the phone when she answered the door but when she caught sight of Nicole she froze. "I'll call you back."

The handset fell out of her hand as she regarded her daughter with wide shocked eyes.

"Mum..." said Nicole quietly hating the way her voice cracked.

"You're alive," said the older woman faintly not taking her eyes off Nicole's face, suddenly her mother broke out of her shock and she found herself safely wrapped in a pair of strong comforting arms, "my baby, you're alive."

For the first time in a long while Nicole felt tears in her eyes, she could finally let herself cry.

**OXOXO**

**Apologies for how long this has taken to get up, and also for it being so short. And also for it being annoying and predictable. That aside hope you enjoyed it and please review, tell me what you think of the story so far. Hope you're all well.**


	11. Chapter 11

The silence at the kitchen table was uncomfortable as Nicole, Draco and her mother sat, none of them quiet sure whether to speak.

"Where's April?" asked Nicole finally, in an attempt to make things less awkward.

"She should be home any minute," said her mother her eyes locked upon her daughters face, "I, I had no idea you were coming and... well especially as you are."

"We've been looking for you as long as we've been here," replied Nicole.

"You've... are the two of you together then?" Nicole gazed up at her mother's warm face. Her hair was cut to just below her ears and the calm confidence her features usually displayed seemed warn away to a wariness that even joy could not erase.

"No we're just good friends," replied Draco lightly speaking for the first time.

"And you are exactly...?"

"Oh mum sorry this is Draco... Malone," said Nicole, changing his surname at the last minute so her mother would not recognize him for what he was.

"And uhm... whose is the... baby?" there was a short silence following this statement as Nicole debated how to answer. What should she say, **it's the bastard child of an evil wizard who also happens to be my friend here's father, **somehow she could not utter the words.

"The babies mine," she finally decided to say.

Her mother nodded and the front door opened.

"Mum I'm home," called a voice from the hallway, Nicole found her head whip around to face her remaining sibling as she entered the kitchen, "Sorry I'm late but..."

She stopped dead when her eyes met her sisters and there was a silence.

"You're alive?" her voice came out a gasp as she stared wide eyed at Nicole, "You're actually alive?"

Nicole nodded as she stared at the figure before her. When she had last seen her, April had been ten. Now before her stood a thirteen year old with only the barest trace of youth left. Her hair was long and dead straight with streaks of bright red running through the flaxen strands. She was taller than Nicole standing, and she was also quite certain that April might just have been prettier than her as well. A huge grin split her face as she walked up to her and wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm so glad you're safe," she whispered into her ear, and she felt her arms wrap around her as she became used to the hug. April was squeezing Nicole so tightly it hurt.

"We thought you were... we thought you were gone... like Jess," she whispered into her ear.

"I'll never leave you that way," replied Nicole truthfully. She never would, because of the stone she would have to watch her younger sister grow older than her. She clung to her more tightly at the thought.

**XOXOX**

Nicole stayed a few weeks with her mother and sister. It was a sunny spring morning she was watching TV with her sister and Draco. She and April were trying to explain to him how it worked, about half way through a sentence her water broke. After fourteen hours of intense labour she gave birth to a baby girl with unnaturally electric blue eyes that matched neither her mother's nor her fathers. Nicole called her Elizabeth, and as she sat exhausted in the hospital bed gripping her daughter in her arms she felt her heart breaking.

"What are you going to do with her?" asked Nicole's mother, her voice hushed so as not to wake the sleeping newborn.

"I... I don't know."

The glaring reality of her situation was staring her in the face as she clutched the warm weight of her child to her chest. A man had warned her that she would not be able to protect her child forever, but in that instant Nicole wondered if she could protect her at all.

"You can't take her back there with you," said her mother, they had, had a discussion about Nicole staying with them a few weeks previously and Nicole had explained that she could not do so. She had not however stated she was returning to England.

"How did you...?"

"I know you Nikki, you're not one to run away from a fight," replied her mother, she gave her a long look before she continued speaking, "Lizzy's father... he's not a good man is he."

"No," it was a statement not a question but Nicole answered anyway, "He's evil mum... through and through, I can't let him anywhere near her."

"And he'll be looking for you wherever you go?"

"I don't know if I'll ever escape him... but she... I have to make sure he never finds her," she said she raised her eyes to her mother's imploringly, "Please, take her... and that way he need never know she exists."

There was a long silence as Nicole's mother considered the situation a faraway look in her eyes before she finally nodded. It was done and a few weeks later Draco and Nicole were once again on the move. There was a gaping hole where once a brief happiness had been.

**OXOXO**

Sunlight streamed through the open tent flap. They were currently camped in a cornfield somewhere in the Midwest and they would soon be returning to England. Nicole had just made a sort of breakfast, but as they sat down at the table she stopped dead staring at the headline of the paper resting haphazardly upon the table.

'**Britain invades Norway: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has captured Oslo...'**

Nicole's mouth fell open as horror spread through her. It was not supposed to happen like this.

"What on Earth...?" mumbled Nicole as Draco's eyes flicked to the paper.

"It makes no sense," exclaimed Nicole, "this is against all his plans, I mean I don't get it. He was going to strike southwards, but he's gone East. Norway was never even a target."

"Maybe he changed his plans," said Draco pragmatically, "I mean he probably figured you would leak them to the order eventually."

"No it was set, he was going to take Paris. What could he even be after in Oslo?" said Nicole to herself, frowning in confusion, "Unless..."

Draco was regarding her in a curious fashion as if waiting for her brain to come to a stop, "Do you have a copy of that text by Merlin?"

"Not on me right now," he replied, "We could probably pick one up somewhere."

"What was it called again?"

"What the "Works of Merlin"? His voice indicated boredom for the topic as he buttered some toast. He seemed completely unsurprised by the turn worldwide events had taken, "It's tedious as muck thought, can't imagine what you think you'll find in there."

The second part of his sentence hit Nicole like a blow to the stomach as she remembered the first time she had heard him say those words.

"_What are you really researching?" he asked._

_She again tried to answer him, her eyes begged him to understand, but her mouth remained silent._

"_You can't tell me can you," he said. She just kept staring._

"_I wouldn't say that," she said quietly._

"_So you don't want to tell me," he said._

"_I wouldn't say that either," she tried to say more but once again her mouth was silent, she begged him with her eyes to understand._

"_Fine," he said standing up, "good luck with your research whatever it is, oh and try the third one up, Merlin's as tedious as muck but he knew a lot."_

"_Thank you," she replied, he nodded._

"Why would He let a muggle wait on his meetings?" asked Nicole quietly.

"What?" asked Draco in surprise.

"Why would he let a muggle be privy to his innermost plans... he's not that stupid," she said staring in horrified realization as it all came together, "Even if he bound their tongue, why would he...?"

"_You will never escape," he whispered gently._

_ "Why did you taunt me then, you didn't need to let me out. Did you do it in purpose? Give me a taste of freedom so you could rip it away, just to torture me with it?" asked Nicole staring resolutely ahead._

_ "It was not about you Seven, you are a tool of The Dark Lord, to be utilized as he sees fit," came the mocking reply. Nicole bit back tears, she had thought she was free, "your usefulness in that position simply reached an end."_

_ His presence was gone from behind her, he was about to leave._

_ "It would have worked, wouldn't it?" she whispered, "Merlin's spell would have set me free... I could have destroyed you. I was so close."_

_ She turned around to face him, finally meeting his eyes. They burnt through her like a brand into her retina. _

_ "That's why you pulled me out, that's why you would trade your son for a muggle. If you had of left me there I would have destroyed you," her tone was incredulous. He said nothing, his face twisted into a dangerous expression daring her to continue. She should have stopped talking, but realisation had hit her like a freight train and she was still being pulled along by its momentum. _

_ "I... Nicole Archer, a number, a god damn dirty muggle, could have destroyed you because of your own conceited idiocy," she said, her face breaking into a grin of triumph, "I could have won."_

_ The slap came out of nowhere, knocking her off her feet and onto the cold floor. She knew it had been inevitable, but it still scared her. It was followed by another one and Nicole curled up into a ball to protect herself from the blows that she was sure would destroy her but they never came. He instead grabbed her arm pulling her up to face him._

_ "You would never have broken the curse," he said his quiet tone radiating danger, "You never had a chance you little fool."_

The memories kept on coming to her like the bullets from a machine gun. Ripping through what she had thought was her life.

_ "Where is it?" he hissed, his voice laced with anger. He was talking to himself, having taken what he needed from her mind he would no doubt ignore her presence_

_ "Use any means necessary to see that it is retrieved," ordered The Dark One._

_Nicole found herself wishing with all her heart that she could get her _hands on that damn stone_. She clenched her fists tightly together in fury, her fingernails bit into her palms so hard they drew blood but she was beyond caring_**. I wish I had it in my fist right now so I could smash it to pieces and end this stupidity. I wish I could destroy that stone.**

"Oh god no," she whispered as another one came to her.

_ "Draco?" she asked quietly looking at the son._

_ "I told you where to find it, why did you take so long?" His eyes were sad, almost as empty as her face._

_ "I couldn't read old English," replied Nicole, "I had to translate it. I needed you to help me with it."_

_ "I'm sorry, I didn't I... I thought you wouldn't want me around you too much..." he cut off as his father cleared his throat._

_ "Now is not the time to bemoan your failures Draco," He said, "numerous as they are we'd be here all night."_

_ A ripple of what might have been laughter flicked through the death eaters._

_ "We propose a deal, give us the muggle and my son will remain unharmed," came the clipped tones and Nicole wondered if he had lost his mind._

_ Granger stared at him, she appeared to be thinking along the same lines as Nicole, "What? Have you gone insane. You would hurt your son? To recapture a muggle?"_

_ "Well that's up to you Granger," he smirked, "Which do you value more? A muggle spy or a Wizard, albeit not a very good one."_

"I was always a tool," she whispered looking up at Draco, he was staring at her face his expression completely blank, "They fed me fake plans... they intended for me to escape...they wanted me to feed the order the wrong information and I... I..."

Draco's expression lost it blankness then and became one of concern, "Nicole, are you sure you're ok... that sounds too fantastical.

"How did you know?" she asked quietly, "How did you know I needed to look at Merlin?"

"What?"

"How did you..." Nicole shut her mouth quickly as she came to a horrifying conclusion.

"What was that?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she said quickly, trying her best to appear unconcerned.

His mouth twisted into a smirk that she had seen before, just not on his face.

"It wasn't nothing though was it," he said levelly leaning forward and grabbing a hold of her arm to stop her from standing up.

"Draco, stop being silly," she said clamping down on her fear.

"Come on Nicole, we both know you've figured it out," his voice was an undertone as he leaned towards her, "so say it out loud."

"You're... you're a spy."

Silence greeted her words as their gazes locked, hers in horror, his in an odd sense of relief.

"And it took you so long to realize," he told her his smirk gone, "You were supposed to be clever."

"You're working for him," she exclaimed in horror, "You were my friend."

"You honestly think I would ever lower myself to befriend a muggle?" he asked her his eyes flashing, "and worse than that my father's whore."

Nicole recoiled from the venom in his words, so sudden and unexpected.

"Why did you look after me then?" she whispered, "what about Elizabeth?"

"Don't talk to me about that filth," he replied disgust layered thickly in his voice, "I would have killed her in the womb if I could, but no I had to wait until she was out of you until I could get rid of fathers little indiscretion."

Anger snapped through Nicole at his words.

"You stay away from my child," she told him pure fury alive in her tone, "If you lay one finger on her I swear to God I will..."

"I've already done it," a grin spread across his face like his lips were being sliced open, "By now the little rat will be nothing but ash. Really leaving her in the protection of muggles..."

A scream of fury escaped her lips as she launched herself across the table at him determined to rip him to pieces.

"I'll kill you," yelled Nicole incoherent with rage as she clawed at his face, "I'll kill you for what you've done to her."

He grabbed her hands trying to hold her still, to keep her savaging him. She was so angry her eyes were burning and Draco found it difficult to hold her back. Rage had given her extra strength. Her weight toppled him to the floor and she pinned him down using strength she had not known she possessed.

"Try all you want whore," he told her smirking, "the dark lord is coming, and he will put you back where you belong."

Nicole froze as a dreadful sense of terror crept over her. She was torn in that instant between her want to rip the man who claimed to have murdered her child to pieces, and her fear of being recaptured by a monster.

"Well you better hope he gets here soon," stated Nicole, there was a cold fury to her tone that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. She grabbed a knife from the kitchen table and held it thoughtfully in her hand, "for your sake."

"Did you know that back in the olden days they used to hang traitors," She informed him, she was unsure when she had turned empty, it was possible it happened with Mellie's death or perhaps the first time she was raped. In that instant all Nicole knew was that she wanted to destroy him.

"You're going to hang me Nicole?" he asked his eyes darting nervously to the object in her hand, "you can't do that with a knife."

"But that wasn't the worst punishment," continued Nicole, ignoring his interruption, "They're was one punishment that I've always remembered because it was so truly horrific. They called it hung, drawn and quartered. Do you know what that means Malfoy?"

He gulped a hint of fear creeping into his eyes as he shook his head.

"First they would hang a person until they were half dead..." said Nicole pressing the flat of the knife to his throat, to mimic the feel of suffocation, "Then when they were still conscious they would cut them open and take out a few of their organs. Not the important ones like the heart or the lungs... things like the liver and kidneys so they would still be alive when they sowed them back up."

As she spoke she trailed the knife across his chest, pausing above each organ to emphasize her words.

"Then after that comes the most gruesome bit," she told him earnestly, "They would tie each of the person's limbs to a separate horse, and point each of the four horse in a different direction. Then they would whip the creatures driving them straight into a gallop. And so you see they'd be..." she pressed the knife to his throat, "hung," she moved it vertically down the length of his chest, "drawn," she traced it back horizontally across the width of his ribs, "... and quartered."

"Nicole," he whispered his eyes wide and terrified. She did not even feel the faintest stirrings of pity, "Nicole please..."

"Now as you said we have no rope, so it seems we can't hang you," said Nicole, "I don't really have any horses either, and I'm a little limited on time until The Dark One arrives. So it seems I'll just have to see how many organs I can remove before he gets here."

She bought the knife up intending to slice it down into the traitor beneath her, but she suddenly found herself unable to move as a look of sheer relief spread across the rats features.

"My Lord," he said with relieved reverence as he pushed Nicole's stilled form off of him, removing the knife from her hand and placing it upon the table.

"Incapacitated Draco... by a muggle," came the chilling voice of a monster.

"I apologize My Lord, she figured things out," from her vantage point on the floor Nicole could see Draco on his knees with his head bowed towards the ground. She could not move due to a curse The Dark One must have placed upon her, but she no longer cared. Her mind drifted away from the scene before her and she remembered her baby. The weight of Elizabeth in her arms the first time she held her. Her first smile the way her blue eyes shone, completely unlike any that Nicole had ever seen.

She was bought into the present again by the excruciating pain of a torture curse, like knives ripping through her and acid boiling off her skin. It was during the unendurable torture of the curse that Nicole realized that her child was dead, tears streamed down her face and in that instant she wished for an end. She wanted more than anything for the pain to kill her. For the horror that had become her life to be over. Abruptly the pain stopped and Nicole came back to reality, she was alone with The Dark One, Malfoy it seemed had left.

"You have an unhealthy obsession with knives Nicole," he informed her gently kneeling over her, "I think when I return you to your home I'll have to remove them. I feel you cannot be trusted."

"That place is not my home," she said her voice cracked as she spoke and it sounded hollow to her ears.

"Come now, it is where you belong," he said stroking the mattered hair off of her face, "I'll even allow you visitors this time. I'm sure you'd be awfully lonely in the house otherwise."

"I won't go back there."

"Yes you will," he stated firmly. He reached down and placed his hand in the middle of her chest. Nicole felt a horribly familiar pull as blue rings pulsed from her heart travelling up his arm as he drew the power in. After a minute or so Nicole felt her eyes drift closed into unconsciousness.

**XOXOX**

Nicole awoke to find herself in a heap upon the living room floor, in the house where she had met Harry, where he had been James, over a year ago. Slowly she forced herself onto her hands and knees, trying to fight off the feeling of despair which enveloped her. It was when she raised her head and saw the bottom of a pair of robes that she realized she was not alone. Slowly her gaze travelled upwards to the face of the seated figure and she met a pair of ice cold grey eyes. She was on her exhausted feet in a second never taking her eyes from his as a feeling of hatred consumed her.

"Good evening," he said cordially taking in the sight of her shaking body in a glance before returning his gaze to her face.

"What are you doing here," she asked her voice barely above a whisper.

"You did not think you would escape punishment did you?" he replied raising an eyebrow, "Oh, no Seven, you have much to answer for."

"I will never answer to you," she told him, her voice was firmer as she lifted her shoulders, "it was one of the proudest moments of my life throwing you from that car, my only regret is that I didn't run you over afterwards."

There was a silence between them as he tapped his wand against the side of the chair. A blank expression covered his face as he regarded her coldly.

"Careful Seven," he warned her. She chose not to heed it.

"You murdered my child," she said, pure fury filling her tone, "You destroyed my life and my family and everything I ever gave a damn about. What more can you possibly do to me."

"It was an abomination" he said his face becoming paler as anger filled him, "A bastard blight that could not be allowed to exist."

"She was called Elizabeth," screamed Nicole, her body shaking with hatred, "and she was beautiful, and she was nothing to do with you. You had no claim over her and no right to touch her."

"I had every right," he said evenly reigning in his anger to maintain his icy facade, "You are a slave Nicole, muggle filth and nothing more. The Dark Lord owns everything you are, even your progeny, and I can destroy them as I see fit."

"You Bastard," she whispered losing all self control she lunged at him wanting desperately to hurt him. She was pulled up short as she slammed into what felt like a wall, blocking her way. She clawed at the barrier but could not force her way through, "Stop hiding behind your magic you coward."

He laughed at her struggle which only served to enrage her further.

"And to think you were so proud of your escape weren't you," he said his tone mocking, "So proud that you bested the evil wizards..."

"Shut up," she growled, not wanting to have to listen to him.

"No," he replied his voice never losing its calm, "It's time for you to hear this. You never bested us Seven, there was no move you made, no action you took that was not planned out by us in advance. You were shaped to be the perfect tool to use against the order. How could they resist you, a muggle proving herself everything they wish muggle's could be."

"You didn't plan her," said Nicole breaking into his speech, "You didn't plan on... on..."

"It was a complication," he stated, dismissing her words with a wave of his hand.

"I despise you," her voice came out with ice enough to match his. Nicole felt his words like a knife to the chest as it ripped away everything she had believed.

"Relax Seven, I have not taken everything from you," he told her his voice still contained a hint of his cruel mirth, "Your father for instance, is still alive..."

Nicole froze as the barrier disappeared, no spell kept her in place this time but rather a horrifying sense of dread.

"My father?"

"Yes, he is currently still alive," he told her evenly tapping his wand against the side of the chair, "but he will only stay that way if you do as I tell you."

"What... what is it you want from me?" she asked, the defeat in her voice was clear and a cruel smirk spread across his lips. Nicole detested the man before her, but the father he threatened was all she had left, she would do anything to protect him. _And he knows that, _thought Nicole, _**he knows and he'll probably kill him anyway.**__ I have to protect him._

"Right now you have a debt to settle," he told her his eyes scanning her form, "tell me what is it you fear most?"

"I..."

"Do not lie to me," he ordered.

"You," her voice was barely a whisper as a cruel grin split his face.

"Come stand before me," he said, he sounded so triumphant it made her ill. She dragged her feet, not wanting to be any closer to him, "Now… undress."

Nicole froze, "What…"

"I said undress," he repeated not taking his cold eyes off of her. She could not do it.

"Please, anything but that," she begged him unable to meet his gaze.

"It's your punishment Seven, you have no say in it," he informed her coldly, "now do not make me repeat myself again. Otherwise you will not like the consequences."

Taking a deep breath Nicole pulled off her shirt and unzipped her jeans, she was left standing in front of the man she despised in only her underwear as he regarded her emotionlessly.

"And the rest," he ordered. Nicole closed her eyes and unclasped her bra before sliding off her knickers. She stood naked and terrified before him and there was nothing she could do. Her mind was completely blank and she was out of ideas and out of luck. She opened her eyes and met his silver ones. He still remained seated his face carefully blank as he held out a hand, "Come, sit."

He wanted her to sit on his lap and all Nicole wanted to do was run, to run as far away as she could and hide in some safe corner where he could never find her. She edged forward slowly until she was within his reach at which point he grabbed onto her pulling her down to his lap, forcing her to straddle him. Nicole stared resolutely ahead determined not to meet his eyes. The material of his robes felt cold and coarse against her body, and she could feel the place where he was growing beneath her. One of his arms looped around her waist as the other traced its fingers across her shoulder blade. Slowly he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers but she turned her face away.

The hand on her back moved to grasp her chin as he roughly pulled her head towards him.

"You will do as I order, you will deny me nothing."

He pressed his lips to hers once again and this time he did not let her pull away.

**OXOXO**

**Liked the twist? Let me know. This is the penultimate chapter... I'll post the last one soon.**


	12. Chapter 12

"So who was he?" asked April, they were sat on her bed and Nicole had been enjoying relaxing there, her hand haphazardly resting on her prominent bump and her body leaning against the wall. Draco was out busy creating contacts for the order, and she was too far along to endure such hard work. Their mother was out for the day running errands despite the fact she did not want to let either of her daughters out of her sight. It had been an easy friendly day... at least until that question had come up. It hung in the air between the two sisters like a ten tone weight suspended by a fraying piece of rope that was down to the very last fibre. Nicole knew it was about to come crashing down.

"April... that's not..."

"Nicole, please just tell me," begged her younger sister, "You need to tell someone, you're carrying it around with you and it's not good. I know you would usually talk to Jess about this stuff, but she's gone, please... let me help you."

April's eyes were pleading with concern as she twisted her finger through one of the red streaks in her hair. Her posture was slumped slightly with the teenage lack of grace that all adolescents seemed to posses. As Nicole stared at her she noticed the strong resemblance between her older and younger sister. They had the same noses, and the same heart shaped face. Jess had been beautiful and it seemed April had inherited a similar genetic cocktail, rendering her even in the current awkward phase of her life with that same beauty. Nicole knew that the sensible thing to do was to protect her sister from the truth, to never let her truly understand how cruel the world was. But at the same time she knew to do so would be a far greater cruelty. April needed to know the horror, needed to know how bad it could get because then when Nicole was gone she would know to protect herself. With a weary breath she spoke.

"I was... I was... raped," the word hung in the air between the two of them as April did her best to hide her shock but the widening of her eyes gave her away, "I was raped by the same man who murdered Mellie, and I was held as a slave to the... to the dark ones."

"Nicole I..."

"Its ok... if he finds out about this, about my baby," said Nicole her voice becoming filled with fear, "then he'll kill her. He'll think she's an abomination."

April looked stunned; she had no idea what to say. She had only just begun to worry about the trouble of boys and had yet to have her first kiss. She was completely out of her depth in the conversation. How could she possibly provide reassurance or comfort, when all she felt was a rising tide of hatred and disgust towards her sister's attacker? Swallowing her panic she leant back against the wall next to Nicole and took a firm hold of her hand.

"He'll never find her," replied April with as much certainty as she could manage, "We will never let him near her. I promise you he'll never touch her or you ever again."

"April..."

"It's alright, we're over a thousand miles away from England, we'll never have to worry about all that stupid supernatural crap ever again," she continued with assurance, "Its safe here."

"It won't be for long," said Nicole squeezing her sisters hand, "They will take over the world... it's just a matter of time, and I... I have to go back."

"What?" she exclaimed.

"I have to go back there," repeated Nicole gently, "For what he did... for what he's done and for what he will do, what they will all do. I have to go back and fight him, fight them because it's not something I can turn my back on."

"Nicole you could die," said April still in shock, "and what about, you know... your baby?"

Nicole's other hand strayed to her bump as she felt the stirrings of the life growing inside of her.

"Every second she's with me, is a second he could find us," her voice broke a little with sadness, "I can't keep her."

"What will you do?" asked April.

"I don't know."

**XOXOX**

"Nicole..." the voice was barely a whisper but she turned to face it. Seeing him standing there before her sent a rush through her, "Nicole I'm here, I'm here to rescue you."

The promise slipped from his tongue as she looked up to meet his bright eyes. She took a step forward and in that instant she forgave him everything, it no longer mattered to her.

"Marcus... how?" he closed the distance between them and shushed her with a finger to her lips.

"It's not important," Marcus said gently, "I don't have much time and then I'll be gone."

"So you're leaving me?" asked Nicole as a sudden terror gripped her.

"No," he said firmly wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to him, "I'll be back, I'll find you where ever you are and then I promise, I'll keep you safe."

She buried her head into his shoulder and clung to him with all her might.

"Don't leave me," she whispered.

"I'll never abandon you, never give up on you," he replied.

"Even after all that happened even after they used me to..."

"I doubted you once before," he said, there was a pause as he took hold of her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. They were a pale blue colour like an early spring morning, "I was a fool, the others thought that you'd done it on purpose, but I know you. I'll never doubt you again, and I won't rest until I find you."

She was not sure why she did it, maybe it was the trust in him she had regained. Or maybe it was his unfaltering belief in her, for whatever reason she reached up and placed a hand lightly on his cheek, tracing the outline of his strong jaw. Slowly he lent towards her and in an instant their lips touched. It was a gentle kiss at first which got stronger as the seconds went by. His hands wrapped around the small of her back as the other grabbed her hair, and then another was touching her down low. Nicole paused, it made no sense. Marcus noticed her stopping with a look of worry.

"What is it?" she felt a hand running across her chest, stopping to lightly trace the outline of her breast. But Marcus' had not moved from their previous position. The kiss had been innocent and moderately chaste. As these thoughts came to her she felt something between her legs pushing its way inside her and her eyes flew open.

She was in her small dark room in the cottage, and he was on top of her. His sharp scent filled her nostrils and his heavy breathe assaulted her ears. He usually did not come this late, he came earlier and she had gone to sleep that night thinking she was safe. She met his grey eyes in fear as he pushed his hips against hers, his body slamming painfully into her. His hands pushed her into the mattress and she held back tears at his invasion his presence sickened her. It took less time than it usually did, no more than a quarter of an hour and he finished. Nicole remained silent through it wondering to herself if he was drunk. He smelt like burnt wood and it was all too plain that his evening had not been spent in an altruistic fashion. She was usually his reward for pleasing the dark one and it seemed he must have outdone himself to be allowed her tonight.

"Who were you thinking of," he asked his voice level as he lay beside her. It cut her out of her revere.

"What do you mean?" she replied in confusion.

"Come now Seven, answer the question," he ordered her, "when I first started you responded to me willingly, that is not something you tend to do."

"I don't know what you're talking about," replied Nicole, wishing he would hurry up and leave.

"I think you do," he said looking sideways at her, "tell me now or I'll read it from your mind."

She let out a weary sigh before she answered, her voice was barely a whisper when she finally spoke, "Jenkins, Marcus Jenkins."

All was quiet for a few moments before he burst into laughter. She glared at him.

` "The boy who practically handed you to me?" he asked, "Oh you poor sweet idiot."

She looked away from him her detest intensifying.

"If you've sated yourself could you please leave me in peace, I'd like to get some sleep."

"Do not turn your back on me," he ordered, grabbing a hold of her hair and wrenched her head backwards, "I will not be disrespected."

With that the torture began again.

**OXOXO**

Jessica Archer sat naked in a small room. There was no window, and the only door was made of pure steel and over a foot thick. Her clothes lay shredded in a pile in the corner and she glanced at them in bemusement. Despite her imprisonment she was not scared, the only emotion flickering through her head at that moment was a vague annoyance at not knowing the time. Wearily she sighed and stretched out her back causing a few clicks as joints popped back into place. The situation Jess found herself in was not unusual, it happened on average about once a month, although once in a blue moon it happened twice.

Presently the door opened with a screech causing her to wince and a hand threw a pile of her clothing to her. With lightning fast reflexes she caught the plain uniform and was dressed in a matter of moments.

"I'm decent," she called out and the door opened wider to reveal the first unexpected thing that morning, "Emily? Where's Josh?"

"He isn't feeling too well," replied Emily her tone thick with disapproval, "He and Mike got pissed last night."

Jess rolled her eyes in annoyance, at discovering the reason she had had to wait so long for her release that morning. Josh usually let her out at the crack of dawn, but it appeared with him incapacitated they had forgotten about her. Taking a deep breath she forced her annoyance away and fixed Emily with a tired smile.

"Well I suppose everyone needs a night off once in a while," she hastily exited the cell and her comrade fell in step beside her as they made their way down the corridor. "By the way, what time is it?"

Emily looked faintly guilty as she stared straight ahead, a slight red tinge coloured her cheeks.

"It's about nine," she said, "We didn't realize Josh wasn't up."

"I thought I was in there a while," Jess flashed her a small smile to show her she did not mind.

"Has everyone already eaten?"

"Anna's making you an omelette," Emily smiled faintly back, and Jess realized that this was there way of saying sorry for forgetting her.

"That's brilliant," she said with a small sigh, Anna was the best cook they had and Jess had begged her on more than one occasion to take on her own cooking duties. "You coming with or are you going straight to training?"

"I really ought to get to training," Emily appeared a little indecisive, and Jess could tell that she was not the only one tempted by Anna's cooking.

"Well off with you then," She replied quickly, "I'll see you in an hour or so."

The two parted ways and she made her way quickly to the kitchen. The radio played a loud tune and she heard Anna singing along.

"Oh I just can't wait..." Jess realized that Anna must be playing a CD, "to be Kin..."

"Morning," she called out standing in the open doorway and Anna spun round to look at her.

A smile lit the girls face as she flicked her long wine coloured hair from her eyes.

"Morning to you to, come sit down," Jess did as she was told and sat at the counter. Moments later a plate was presented to her and she wasted no time in digging in.

"Rough night," asked Anna somewhat sympathetically.

"Sleeping on tiles always does my back in," complained Jess through a mouthful of food.

"You could always ask the general if he'll put a bed in there?" there was a concerned tone to her friend's voice that cheered her up.

"No point," she replied after she'd swallowed a delicious mouthful, "It would just rip it up anyway."

"It's a bloody nuisance," said Anna with a frown and Jess laughed a little in reply, "What are your plans for today?"

"Well..." she paused for a moment considering her options, "First I think I'll go get Josh up, I could use someone to spar with..."

"You realize he'll have the mother of all hangovers this morning," she interjected, "I don't think he got to bed until dawn."

A wicked grin lit up Jess' face, "perfect, I think it's called payback for leaving me in that cell for four hours."

"Oh Jess, leave the poor boy alone," she reproved, "although he does deserve it I suppose. What do you have planned for after your beastly revenge?"

"I dunno," said Jess with a noncommittal shrug, "I have a meeting with The General later on."

Anna's faces switched from a reluctant grin to a strong grimace, "that man terrifies me..."

"He's not all bad," she reminded her, "Plus it's good that he's scary, the leader of the resistance should be terrifying enough to make even a wizard shit their pants."

"Language," warned Anna, she had a hatred for swear words, "I think he's frightening enough as it is since he can make a werewolf stick her tail between her legs."

"Don't be preposterous," said Jess lightly, "I don't have a tail."

Their conversation continued in that manner for some time after until Jess finished her food and decided to seek her revenge. She said good bye to Anna and started towards Josh's room. She did not get very far however.

"Archer," called a strong voice behind her. Jess snapped to attention spinning round to face the man she had minutes before been discussing.

"General," she replied with a salute.

"We need to talk about something," a strange note of gentleness accompanied his serious voice and Jess' eyes snapped to his face in worry.

"What is it sir?" her tone was filled with a respect the envy of every state school teacher.

"We need to discuss your family."

"My family sir?" she asked in confusion, she knew they thought she was dead. It was better that way.

"Your sister," he spoke as if those two words explained everything.

"What about April?" Jess wondered what had happened to her youngest sister. It occurred to her that she might be joining the resistance and a small selfish part of her was horrified by the thought. She didn't want this life for her.

"It is not April Archer I wish to discuss," stated the general and Jess felt her eyes go as wide as dinner plates.

"You... You want to talk about Nicole?" her voice was barely above a whisper but he nodded, "she's alive?"

The General nodded again and Jess had to grab the wall to steady herself. The day after the full moon usually left her feeling strange, but the news of her sister's survival was beyond anything she expected.

"Is she ok?"

He shifted and if he had been any other man Jess might have thought he looked uncomfortable. It told her everything she needed to know.

"I... can I save her?"

**XOXOX**

April hunkered down low behind a dumpster. Where she sat smelled strongly of human excrement, but she was trying her hardest to ignore that fact. She was in New York City, a place she had heard of often growing up. It had seemed then like a paradise where people did amazing things, where life was perfect. April had been warned many times that it wasn't really like that, it was just a glamorous coating, like icing on a rotten cake.

"I think it's down here," the voice came out a hiss and she sunk back lower drawing her knees up to her chest and wishing she could become invisible. She hated that voice. It had been chasing her for weeks now, ever since the night of the fire.

"I don't see why we have to go to this much trouble for one stupid little..." the second beast let out a loud breath as if he had just been winded.

His accomplice had seemingly hit him in the stomach to shut him up. They were evil to April, the creatures that chased her in the night. They were the fiends lurking in the shadows waiting to snatch her away, the monsters under her bed, and now they had finally caught up with her. She stayed completely still too terrified to even breathe and trying her hardest to be invisible.

"Come on out sweetheart, we won't hurt you," said the first one, his voice seemed to mock gentleness, as if he had heard other people use the tone and was now trying and failing to imitate it.

"Are you sure it's here?" asked the second one.

"Of course I'm sure, I can feel it."

April was beyond terrified but at that second she had no choice but to hide and pray they did not notice her. It was a slim chance, but it was all she had left. Footsteps approached her hiding place and she felt her fingernails digging in to her palm if they found her she would fight. A pair of feet appeared in front of her and she stared up to meet his eyes. He was looking right through her.

"Damn," his voice came out a hiss of frustration as she sat there frozen in terror certain it was over, "Its not here."

He turned away and April stared in rapt attention at the figure before her, the man of her nightmares. He was tall with dark clothing and matted black hair. He seemed Spanish in decent and was just approaching middle age.

"I thought you just said it was," said the second man in annoyance, it was his turn to be mocking "your powers playing up again, next you'll be telling us you're a squib."

"Shut it Avery," his voice was a low growl and April noticed for the first time a long scar gracing the side of his face, "I don't have time for your stupidity."

"Don't insult me Lestrange," Avery voice dropped to match his friends and April could almost feel the electricity in the air, "It's not me who can't even find one dirty little..."

A flicker of fury flashed across the man before hers face and with a small jab of his wand Avery's voice cut off.

"Would you desist," he ordered, "I know it's here I can feel it."

"But you just said... oh I give up, find it by yourself _if you can_ I'm bored of this."

A sharp pop echoed through the alley and April knew the one called Avery was gone. They always made that sound when they disappeared into thin air. Lestrange was still there however his features creased in annoyance as he regarded the empty alley before him. Wearily he let out a sharp sigh and ran his hand through his already matted hair straightening it out.

"I know you're here," he called using the same fake gentle voice, "Come on out, I'll make it all better I promise."

He didn't move from where he stood and neither did April crouched as she was at his feet. For some reason he could not see her and she prayed it stayed that way.

"Don't you want someone to help you," he called, "it's been hard these last few months, all on your own with no one to protect you. Just come out, just trust me and I'll make it all better, I'll make things right."

If she wasn't too terrified to make a sound April would have snorted at that. The idea that he could make anything better was preposterous. She had seen them, and most of all she remembered him, he had started it all.

_April stood in the trees as she stared in horror at the sight before her. She had been on her way home from school, taking the path through the woods. The burning smell had reached her nose from half a mile away and the sight of the raging inferno that had been her home for over two years was beyond horrendous. Her family were in there she knew. Her mother... Elizabeth. Three men in dark cloaks stood before the scene there hoods down and looks of amusement on their faces. She was just close enough to the tree line to get a good look at them whilst remaining hidden._

_One had long golden hair, and the other two were dark. She could only see their backs and the sound of their conversation could not reach her over the crackling of the fire. Their talk seemed to draw to a close and two of the men disappeared suddenly, leaving only one of the dark haired ones watching the flames. He turned his head to the side and April saw the long scar that ran across his cheek and around his temple, as if someone had tried to peel his face off. He narrowed his eyes briefly before turning back to the flames. It was then that she started running and she had not looked back since that day._

Crouched hidden in the alleyway at the monsters feet April felt tears beginning to slide down her face, she was beyond scared and wished with all her heart that he would just leave her alone. She wished that someone would save her from this monster.

"Rabastan, talking to yourself? It's the first sign of madness you know," a new voice echoed through the cramped alleyway and she felt the vague stirrings of hope. Lestrange glared at the figure before him just beyond April's line of vision.

"Elder... what is your purpose here?" his voice was low with distain and to April's ears the slightest hint of fear.

"I have a warning for your Master," there was obvious distaste in the man's tone, "Tell him that he cannot hope to posses one of our number, and that if he continues with such an outrageous abuse there will be consequences."

"You cannot threaten The Dark Lord..." began the outraged reply but he was cut off.

"I have known many Dark Lord's and will know many more," there was a certainty to the statement that made April's hair stand on end, or perhaps it was the strange energy crackling through the air, "I can threaten anyone I chose to, I am beyond your pitiful Lord. Now go and give him my warning."

A look of shock spread over Lestrange's face as he disappeared with an involuntary pop. Silence spread through the alley and April wondered if she was alone once again. A pair of feet materialized before her and April gave a start. She had not heard his approach. Looking up once again her gaze locked with a pair of bright yellow eyes and this time they did not look through her.

"Come little witch," he said holding out his hand to her, "I will protect you from those demons."

For a reason she did not quite understand April found that she trusted him, something in his eyes reminded her of Nicole. Tentatively she reached up and grasped his hand.

_April had been eleven, and half way through year six, when the world changed. The Wizards had been in power a few months, Nicole had disappeared, and Jess was gone. Her parents had been talking to their neighbour Quentin and it was he who noted the strange occurrences around her. He had realized that she was a witch._

_ "You must never let anyone discover you," he warned her, his spectacled eyes staring at her earnestly, "As long as you are never trained in magic you might be safe. You must not use it... if you use it they will find you."_

_ "But I don't know I'm doing it," said April confused, he had dragged her aside and was leaning over just slightly to look at her on her own level, "Why would they hurt me, I'm not hurting anyone... am I? Will I be like them? Will I be a monster if I use it?"_

_ A look of sadness passed through the old man's eyes and the grip on her shoulders tightened slightly._

_ "You are not like them, using magic doesn't make you a monster," he told her quietly, "but to them your different, they're scared of you, and so they will seek to destroy you."_

_ "Why would they be scared of me? Is there something wrong with me?" April asked confused, despite wishing otherwise she was well aware that she was anything but formidable._

_ "No of course not," he reassured her, "there is nothing wrong with you. At any other time this would be a cause to celebrate, but right now we must keep it a secret."_

_ "How?" she felt a great sense of dread envelope her, "how do we keep it a secret."_

_ "You must tell no one of this," he said sternly, "I will speak with your parents and we will decide how to proceed from there."_

_ He had spoken to them almost immediately after that, her mother had cried and her father looked devastated. They had not let her see this of course, they had tried to protect her from it but April knew that when they looked at her they saw the monsters that had stolen their children and enslaved them. Eyes cannot hide such things. Barely a week later their neighbour had arranged for April and her mother to be smuggled out of the country. Her father had stayed behind, desperate to find his other, normal daughter_. She never tried to use magic, but sometimes April couldn't control it, and sometimes like when she hid from her pursuers in that alleyway it even saved her life.

**OXOXO**

Boredom. It was all Nicole felt, overwhelming all-consuming boredom. At first she had been terrified, afraid of The Dark One, afraid of him. Now it was all gone her life was the worst kind of monotony and sometimes she wondered if it was even worth getting up in the morning. All alone imprisoned in her defective little bubble. She found herself missing things she never thought she would miss, the constant adrenaline of being on the run, even the hard and brutal existence of slavery would have been preferable to her current life.

"Nicole," his voice was too high pitched for a normal person, but she was no longer afraid of it. Gone were the days when she would cower away from him. Fear was just too much effort now. Turning she looked him in the eye. Those disgusting red eyes.

"Dark One," she replied, she would not call him master, there was nothing left to protect.

He walked forward to where she sat, knees drawn up to her chest. A small frown graced his almost featureless face.

"You don't fear me anymore?" he asked, he stood just before her, leaning down to peer into her eyes. Nicole felt a small flare of triumph, it was he who came to her, not she to him. _Like a dog hungering for affection... except affection is the last thing he wants._

"Why should I fear a leech?" she asked him, raising a single eyebrow in a fashion that was reminiscent of a Malfoy, it seemed she had learnt something from him, "That's what you are, isn't it, a parasite?"

His hand reached out and traced the curve of her jaw, it was a gesture of ownership not affection.

"You are disgusted by me?" Sadly she looked away from him gazing at the window behind him.

"You are not worthy of disgust."

A loud crack echoed through the room and moments later she felt a stinging sensation in her cheek. Nicole realized belatedly that she had angered him slowly she raised her eyes to his once again.

"Do what you came to do," she told him, his eyes were narrowed in fury yet he seemed distant to her like there was a wall of glass between her and the rest of the world. A wall that could never break, "I grow weary of your company."

He leaned in, his arms on either side of her boxing her in and his snarling face inches from her own.

"Perhaps I shall send Lucius again tonight, to remind you of your manners," he growled.

"There is nothing more the pair of you can do to me," Nicole told him gravely, "I'm afraid you have made me ungovernable."

His hand rose and clasped around her throat as an all too familiar draw on her chest began. When it was over she slumped back in her chair and gazed once again through the window. He stood in front of her staring pensively down at her.

"You are broken" it was a statement and Nicole dragged her eyes back to his.

"Not broken," she told him levelly, "I am... past it."

His eyes were unreadable and he disappeared without a word. Nicole wished she could just forget.

**XOXOX**

There was a hollow burnt out shell where a house had once stood. The ground was blackened and the very rare stray timber that had escaped the fire crumbled into charcoal halfway up. A group of stoically appalled figures surrounded the scene staring in horror at the tragedy before them.

"Who would do this?" Asked one of the women, her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, her neatly pressed suit and manicured nails revealed her ruthless efficiency.

"A psycho," said a male agent his eyes not leaving the charred scene before them, "Whoever it was, it was magical otherwise our systems wouldn't have picked it up."

"Must have been fiendfyre," said another man, his voice lacked any hint of compassion as he surveyed the scene with hollow eyes.

"The people who lived here were muggles though," said the first woman in surprise, "What wizard would go to such lengths to destroy them?"

An uneasy silence followed her statement as half the people present jumped to the same conclusion.

"According to the local muggles it was an English woman and her daughter living here, they bought the house about a year ago," said a second woman, her hair was cut short around her scalp and a bright purple colour, she was scanning over a mobile device in her hand for information.

"English huh," said the first man as if that summed it all up. The short haired girl swished her wand whilst muttering an incantation after a few minutes she paused and frowned.

"Humm," she muttered.

"What?" asked the first woman.

"Well this is telling me a man and a woman died here, both in their late forties, no sign of a girl," replied the second.

"That makes no sense," stated the first man, "Could the daughter have done it?"

"This is fiendfyre Torrez," said the second woman, "Do you honestly think a muggle girl could light it?"

"Could have been a muggleborn," replied Torrez defensively.

"She would have shown up on the database," said the first woman, "and even if she had only just developed accidentals, her first flare wouldn't be fiendfyre, I can't even control that stuff..."

"And whoever set this fire could control it" continued the second, "look at the damage, only thing burnt is the house, the bushes by the porch aren't even singed."

The hollow eyed man moved away from his co-workers to make a closer inspection of the scene. Where there had once been a two story colonial stood burnt out embers, parts of the porch remained and he skirted around it to take a closer look. Something he glimpsed from the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned to stare in shock at the sight before him.

"Davis what are you doing over there," called Torrez, "The house could be dangerous."

"I'll be out in a minute," returned the man with hollow eyes.

"Honestly," exclaimed the first woman, "who goes wondering around fiendfyre ashes?"

Torrez was about to reply but was cut off by the emergence of Davis who was carrying a little bundle in his arms. There was absolute silence as if even the birds and insects were waiting on bated breath.

"Is that..." asked the second woman in shock.

"It's a baby," said Davis pulling back the blankets to reveal a pair of electric blue eyes staring up at them warily.

"How could she have survived the fire?" asked Torrez in shock.

"Magic...?"

**OXOXO**

**And there it is, an ending of sorts. As always tell me what you thought of my story. Should I make a sequel? Would you like to hear more about the lives of the Archer sisters and co. Or have I bored you just about enough for one story. All the best and thank you as always for taking the time to read and especially to those of you who reviewed, and feel free to do so one last time =]**


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